she embraced her often telling her that she was over happy to have so amiable a Daughter in Law That Evening there were curious Fireworks and Illuminations for three nights together the King next day went to the Royal Chappel where the Queen was likewise in her Chair of State the Ambassadors and Grandees were there according to the Custom and Te Deum was sung After dinner the King and Queen went out together which was the first time of their appearing in publick They were in a Chariot made like a Triumphal Coach without a Crown upon it and open on all sides to shew themselves to the People they traversed the great Square before the Palace and passed through several Streets where the Balconies were full of Ladies who mingled their Acclamations with those of the people the Grandees followed their Majesties in very rich Coaches with a great number of Livery men There were abundance of these Lords who for nine days together had nine different Liveries and each finer than the other after this manner they went to our Ladies Datocha and it being already night before they returned to the Palace white wax Tapers were lighted at all the Windows and the Streets were so prettily illuminated by them that a man might almost see from one end of the City to the other The finest show of these Lights was at the Placa Mayor which is a very large noble Square the Houses are built with five Rows of Balconies one over another and could reckon above three Thousand Tapers in all As soon as the King and Queen were arrived there the Fireworks began Many other diversions lasted for several days sometimes their Majesties went a hunting at other times to a Comedy or took a Walk Sometimes they went to Sup with the Queen Mother or the Queen Mother came to eat with them at the Palace All the Ladies had the Honour to kiss the Queen's Hand the Councils and the Grandees complemented her also Some days after her Entry a Bull-feast was kept at Madrid which was the most magnificent of the kind that had been seen for a long time The King and the Queen came to the Great Square about one a Clock in the Afternoon aftewards entred the Duke de Medina Sidonia the Marquess Camaraza Grandees of Spain Don Felix de Cordova Second Son of the Duke de Sessa Don Francisco Moscoso and Don Fernando de Lea a Gentleman of Cordova each of them followed by an hundred Lacqueys some dressed after the Turkish others after the Graecian fashion and after this manner they represented several Nations They combated the Bulls with extraordinary dexterity and courage the Son of the Duke de Sessa had two Horses killed under him This sport is an old remainder of the Moors whose Genius and Customs are not intirely extinguished in Spain altho they themselves have been long turned out of it The Spaniards still seem to preserve something of the barbarity of these people since they do so freely expose themselves the rage of Mad Bulls to divert the Publick But to say the truth this representation is one of the finest things in the world and nothing can afford so agreeable a prospect as the place of the Combat which is prodigiously spacious encompassed with five ranks of Balconies all equal and regular and curiously set out with rich hangings and Furniture as well as filled with almost an infinite number of Spectators The King on the eighteenth of Ianuary named the Marquess d' Ossera to go Vice-Roy per interiâ— of Sardinia because the Count d' Egmon was not as yet in a condition to go thither He named the same day the Marquess de Fuentes Son to him who had been Ambassador in France to go thither in that quality in the room of the Duke de Giovenazzo who from an Envoy to the Court of Savoy was nominated to that of France but it seems was at last destined to return to Turin In the mean time the Marquess de Villa Mayna Chief Gentleman Usher to the Queen discharged the Office of Master of the Horse in the place of the Duke d' Ossone who for his ill conduct was prohibited to come to the Palace The Marquess d' Astorgas took the advantage of his absence to make his own Court and altho he had been indisposed and continued to be so still yet he went every day with five Coaches of extraordinary fineness and a numerous retinue of Livery-men to wait upon the King The Duke d' Ossone being informed of it resolved to meet him and give him some affront so he took abundance of people with him and knowing which way the Marquess was to pass he ordered his Coachman to drive thither full speed and to overturn the Marquess's Coach in case he was within It happened he went that day in a Chair and his Coaches followed him but the Duke Ossone's Coachman for all that met with him so conveniently that he threw him along in the River This rencounter made a great noise and did not at all accommodate the affairs of the Duke which before this were in no good condition Madam the Constable Colonna's Lady who went out of the Convent where she sojourned to behold the Queens Entry staid with the Marchioness de los Balbazez till the fifth of February when she was carried away by the King's Order to a Convent some leagues off Madrid 'T is the Custom of Spain that upon all solemn occasions whether of Joy or Grief all the Kingdoms and all the Principalities that depend upon the King send their Deputies to complement him Thus Don Pedro de Salinas y Vnda came in the name of the Principality of d' Avila accompanied with the Duke de Pastrane and Don Ioseph de Silva his Brother to kiss the King's hand and complement him upon the score of his marriage The Kingdoms of Naples Navar Arragon Granada and divers other places sent likewise After the King had given them Audience he took the Queen along with him to a great hunting of the Wild Boar where they killed abundance of them The Duke de Pastrane who exercised the Office of Chief Ranger in the absence of the Marquess de Liche conducted the Queen to a place in the Forrest that was extreamly pleasant Several streams of water ran by the place and under some of the highest Trees a Pavilion of Gold Brocard adorned with a Fringe of the same was set up All the Trees were covered with little Apes Squirrels and Parrots and a thousand other Birds that were fastned to them young Boys that were drest like Fauns and Silvanes and Girls apparelled like Nymphs and Driades and Shepherdesses served up a nobleCollation to her Majesty who seemed to be at first extreamly pleased with the entertainment But altho no body knew what it was that disquieted her afterwards she appear to be very sad all the remainder of the day On Candlemas day there was a procession in the Galleries of the Palace the Religious of
of the young Princess which sufficiently testified her disquietude within She easily apprehended that a person of her age could not chuse but be disgusted at the severity of the Camarera so she thought her self obliged to acquaint the King with it and desired him that he would be pleased to treat her after a more gentle method She succeeded in her Petition and procured leave for the Marchioness de Villars to go and wait upon the Queen who was introduced into her Apartment through that of the Dutchess de Terra Nova who appeared less savage and somewhat more respectful to her than she used to be The King according to the custom of Spain sate in a Chair of State the two Queens upon two low Stools and presently another was brought for the Ambassador's Lady Soon after the Queen Mother going out along with the King she found her self alone with the Queen who seeing she was now at liberty to talk could not â—orbear to shed some Tears as she acquainted her with the sorrowful life she led After she somewhat eased her self by recounting to her the several ill usages that so much disturbed her the Ambassador's Lady did not fail to apply those consolations she judged expedient for one in her condition She made her sensible that this life so full of constraint as it was and for which she expressed so great a reluctancy was yet the very same that all the Queens and Infanta's of Spain had ever been accustomed to that there was nothing particular in what she suffered and consequently was not designed to disoblige her that she ought to hope that when the King was better acquainted with her and saw he had an entire possession of her heart he might out of complasance allow her some relaxations which hitherto her Predecessors had never enjoyed That since the Queen Mother loved her and cherished her interests as her own she could not do too much to cultivate that friendship which would be so advantageous and necessary to her that in the distribution of humane things the greatest happiness is always attended with some inconveniencies that she was now elevated to the supreamest Grandeur upon Earth which Heaven would have her purchase at the expence of a few mortifications but that her complaisance to the King and Queen Mother would soon deliver her out of them She likewise told her several things which in the conduct she was to observe towards the rest of the Court might assist her to support the beginnings and render what followed more agreeable to her Madam de Villars spoke with a great deal of zeal of the Queen Mother but the young Queen being not as yet disingaged from those sentiments with which she had been lately possessed looked upon all this discourse as designed to mislead her and tho she ought to have considered that the Ambassadress could have no other views in what she told her than only to make her sensible of her own true interests yet these advices did not at that time make those impressions upon her as one could have wished they had for her good Her prejudices to the Queen Mother which were perpetually inspired into her ballanced the confidence she had in Madam de Villars and her mind that was only accustom'd to be entertained with those agreeable things that use to employ persons of her youth her temper that was naturally free and lively dissipated the application she ought to have made in order to distinguish good counsels from bad She knew just enough to embarrass her and give her occasions of being uneasy but could not tell how to disintangle herself and for want of a steady resolution to free herself from these melancholy Ideas thought it too great a fatigue to solve these apparent contradictions So she continued under this uncertainty without being able to rescue her self from it and perhaps by this means lost a favourable juncture that then offer'd it self to deliver her from the Subjection under which the Dutchess kept her afterwards The Ambassador of France saw her sometimes whilst she continued at Retiro but this was before Company and besides the time they allotted him to be with her was so short that in those general visits they could discourse of no particular affairs The Queen Mother continued to visit the Queen often she desired her to dress herself after the French fashion because she never beheld her in that dress she did so and the Queen Mother liked it extremely well When she was returned to her Palace which is the House of the Duke d' Vzeda and is one of the finest in Madrid the Young Queen sent her two little Cabinets full of pretty curiosities she on the other hand procured her by way of exchange the diversion of going a hunting at Pardo She had not been on Horseback since she came to Retiro The King killed a wild Boar before her and after that day they went frequently to the Chase together The Councils of the Inquisition of Castile of Italy of Flanders of Arragon of the Indies of War of the Finances of the Crusade and of the Orders went on New years day to wish a happy year to their Majesties for this is the Custom in Spain The Marquess Sera a Genoese offer'd to make the Naples Squadron consist of fourteen Gallies which was never more than seven and not put the King to any expence provided he would allow him the same conditions that the Duke de Tursis had at Genoa He had made this proposal to Don Iuan some time before his death who found it to be very advantageous However their resolutions are so long a taking in Spain and they have so small a consideration for Novelties of whatsoever use they may prove that it is almost impossible to introduce one and this affair it seems met with the same fortune The Marquess de los Balbazez took the Oath of fidelity for his place of Counsellor of State and Don Manuel de Lira did the same for that of Secretary of State in Italy The Duke d' Ossone still expected that they would accommodate the dispute between him and the Marquess d' Astorgas but seeing that they said nothing to him about it he took up a resolution to go no more to Court and appeared every day in the City with a great equipage This is often enough practised in Spain There are some people in the world that are never to be discountenanc'd by a repulse and Father Vintimiglia was of this number Altho he had received no manner of answer to the memorial he gave the Pr. d' Harcourt at Bayonna to present to the Queen yet he could not forbear to draw up a second wherein he regulated all the Monarchy he intrusted a French Gentleman with it who promised to find out some means or other to give the Queen a sight of it But whether he show'd it her or not 't is certain that Vintimiglia by an express order of the King was banished out of
the Ecclesiastic State there was little probability that he should ever arrive to the Empire and marry as it since fell out the Eldest Daughter of the Queen his Sister Amongst several other persons whom the Emperor gave the Queen his Daughter to accompany her into Spain he chose Father Iohn Evrard Nitard a German Jesuit to be her Confessor His extraction was mean and obscure and he employed almost all his thoughts in the advancing of his fortune He was of a supple complaisant temper he exactly studied the respective characters of those persons to whom he belonged and took care never to differ much from them as to matters of opinion He finished his Studies in the Jesuits College at Vienna and there took upon him the Habit of his Order and afterwards was sent to govern one of their Seminaries in which office he acquitted himself very well When he came back again to Vienna he began to make himself known in the world and several Ladies of the Court desired him to be their Spiritual Director they omitted no opportunity to do him all the good offices they could with the Emperor and in fine spoke in such advantagious terms of him that he was well enough contented to let the Queen take him along with her This Princess was extreamly surprized at all the Spanish Customs which those who came to wait upon her from the King caused her to observe in the first days of her Voyage I have have been told that as she arrived to a certain City under the dominion of the King of Spain where the principal Commodities of the place consisted in Frocks Wastcoats and Silk Stockings they made her a present of a great quantity of them of different colours But her Major Domo Mayor who religiously observed the Spanish gravity despised the present and so taking up a bundle of Silk Stockins threw them at the heads of the Deputies of the Town Aveis de Saber says he to them in a very furious tone que las Reynas de Espagna no teinen piernas that is to say I would have you to know that the Queens of Spain have no Legs meaning that they are so far elevated above others by vertue of their rank that they have no Feet to touch the ground like the rest of their Sex However it was the young Queen who was not as yet acquainted with the niceties of the Spanish Language took it in the literal sense and began to weep saying that she was fully determined to go back to Vienna and if she had known before her departure from thence that they design'd to cut off her legs she would rather have died than stirred a foot It was no difficult matter to assure her of the contrary and she continued her Voyage When she came to Madrid they told the King of this innocent simplicity of his Queen he was so mightily pleased at the story that he vouchsafed to laugh a little at it and this was the most extraordinary thing in the world for him to do for whether it proceeded from affectation or was the effect of his constitution it was observed of him that he never laugh'd above thrice in all his Life The King show'd a great respect for Father Nitard because he was the Queen's Confessor who reposed an intire confidence in him but whatever desires she had to see him advanced he left him peaceably in his post without conferring any other Dignities upon him and he had unquestionably continued a long time in the same condition if the King had not hapned to die When that Prince found himself to be dangerously ill and saw he could not bequeath the care of his Kingdoms to Cardinal Sandoval upon whose management of affairs he always depended because he was at that time extremely sick and to say the truth died but 20 hours after him he made his will wherein he ordered that the Queen his Spouse should be Regent of the Kingdom and Governess of the young Prince who was then four years and an half old he named the Cardinal of Arragon Archbishop of Toledo and Inquisitor General the Count of Castrillo President of Castile the Count de Penarauda Don Cristoval Crespi Chancellor of Arragon and the Marquiss d' Aytona to the end that these six Ministers should assist the Queen in her Councils and thus the King died in the month of September 1665. The Queen resented the great loss she sustained with abundance of sorrow but she had been still more sensible of it if she had found her self in the condition of the other Queens of Spain who are obliged to enter into a Convent when they are Widows unless the King orders the contrary before his decease Nor was she insensible of the sweets of Governing The first use she made of her Authority was in favour of Father Nitard For Don Pascal of Arragon having been made Archbishop of Toledo and grand Inquisitor in the place of Cardinal Sandoval the Queen sent for him and by her repeated importunities prevailed with him to quit the last of these two Dignities He could not be brought to comply with this request without a great deal of trouble for he almost chose rather to be Inquisitor General than Archbishop of Toledo although that Archbishoprick is worth 366 thousand Crowns per annum But he was not able to refuse the Queen a thing she so passionately desired who as soon as she saw her self in a capacity to dispose of that important charge bestow'd it upon her Confessor As she engaged her self in this affair of her own proper inclination without consulting any thing else but the desire she had to see him made superior to the other Ministers so she took occasion to discourse of it to them who immediately began to murmur amongst themselves They read over the will of the late King where they found it expresly ordered that the Queen should do nothing without consulting their advice and yet notwithstanding all this precaution of the deceased they saw with no little concern that she had without ever communicating the matter to them disposed of one of the most considerable Offices in the Kingdom and that to a meer stranger who had been born and bred up in the Lutheran Religion till he was 14 years of age The desire they had to preserve their own authority and the jealousie which it is natural for all men to have of a Favourite made them speak very fiercely in the matter However the Queen being informed of their discontent took the true measures to appease them The charming manner of her deportment and particularly the obliging things she spoke to them upon this occasion prevailed with them to lay aside their murmurs so they agreed to dispatch Letters of Naturalization for the Confessor without which it was impossible for him to execute the office the Queen had given him Altho all those difficulties that at first threatned to hinder the Elevation of Father Nitard were removed
without any great trouble yet he did not fail to raise several secret enemies upon himself who envied his growing Fortune They beheld with a great disdain and impatience the extraordinary confidence that the Queen reposed in him for she determined nothing without advising with him and so great was his credit and interest with her that he durst offer to resolve things of the greatest importance without speaking a word about them to the Queen Don Iuan was one of those that was the most offended at the advancement of Father Nitard He was sensible that they would turn him out of all by little and little upon this score he gave way intirely to the Father Confessor whom the Q. had made Counsellor of State he then retired to Consuegra the ordinary residence of the Grand Prior of Castile of the order of Malta and said very imperiously that after he had seen himself President of the Privy Council of the King his Father he could never endure a Companion that was so much his inferior But the Queen who was wholly busied in advancing her chief Minister never disquieted her self with thinking what reflections people might make upon him so that without taking the least notice of Don Iuan's discontent she suffered him to depart and he continued a long time without visiting the Court until the Queen sent him particular orders at Aranjues whither he was gone to divert himself to come immediately for Madrid upon some important affairs which she was willing to communicate to him He was the natural Son of King Philip IV. and a certain Actress whose name was Maria Calderona He was privately brought up at Ocana near Madrid and of all the natural Sons that King had he only acknowledged him whether it were because he loved his Mother better than any of his other Mistresses and to say the truth she was the most charming person in the world or because Count d' Olivarez procured this good Fortune for him for 't is commonly given out that the Count had a Son named Don Iulian de Gusman whom he had a mind to own and therefore used this artifice of perswading the King to begin with Don Iuan that so he might follow his Example Whatever the matter was Philip loved this young Prince very tenderly altho some people suspected he was the Son of the Duke of Medina of the house of Gusman who had formerly been passionately in love with the young Calderona and was in his time the most accomplisht handsom Cavalier in Spain and Don Iuan very much resembled him But if some persons were of this opinion others could never believe it especially when they considered the great kindness and fatherly affection that the King had for him and besides reflected upon his extraordinary good qualities which declared him to be worthy to be the Son of so great a Monarch He was brave even to a contempt of all dangers whatever gallant and agreeable well-shaped obliging liberal and a person of great honour he had abundance of wit and was master of a Genius that extended it self to all Arts and Sciences As there is ne're a Court in Europe where natural Sons are treated with such advantageous distinctions as they are in Spain so this Prince could scarce perceive that the unhappiness of his birth did in the least prejudice his advancement and 't is indeed a certain truth that we see in this Country the legitimate Sons bred up with those that are not so in the same Father's house without any distinction between one and the other But this custom is not altogether observed with relation to the natural Sons of the Kings of Spain For example they never bestow the title of Infante upon them and Don Iuan who passionately desired to have it used his utmost efforts to accomplish it but had not the fortune to succeed in his designs From the year 1643 the King had given him the Government of the Low Countries of Burgundy and Charolois and he always enjoyed it excepting the time when the Arch-duke Leopold governed there Don Iuan contributed very much towards the reducing the Kingdom of Naples to the Spanish Obedience He took Piombino and Portolongone and in all his Campaigns he performed a world of actions that equally testified his bravery and conduct The King his Father having conceived no less an esteem than tenderness for him communicated to him the most weighty affairs of State and chose him to be chief of an Assembly of the chief Ministers of his Kingdom He was scarcely arrived at Madrid but a Council was held where he came to be informed that the King of France was resolved to espouse the interests of his Queen to whom Brabant and some other states of the Low Countries escheated by right of devolution upon the death of the Infant Don Balthazar her Brother that his most Christian Majesty had published a Manifesto wherein he proved the justice of his claim and that not thinking himself obliged to consume any time in unprofitable contestations he had turned his arms towards that side of the Country that he had matched his Troops with incredible diligence and made considerable conquests as soon as ever he appeared Upon a serious examination of the present state of the Monarchy they were convinced that it was impossible at the same time to maintain a war against France and Portugal and that it was necessary for them to lay hold of a certain conjuncture that made a very plausible appearance that Don Alphonso King of Portugal having by his extravagant conduct lost the hearts of his people was dispossest of the Government and his Subjects freed from the Allegiance they ow'd him that the Infanta Don Pedro his Brother had taken upon him the administration of affairs that things of this considerable importance could neither be begun nor ended without some disturbance during which they must have occasion for their own Troops and therefore if it was judged expedient they should lay hold of this opportunity to advance proposals for a peace After every one had delivered his own opinion of the matter the Queen came to this conclusion A Letter was dispatched to the Marquiss de Liche who was at that time Prisoner of war at Lisbon wherein he had all necessary instructions given him In fine he managed the affair so dexterously that the Regent Don Pedro listened favourably to the proposals and so a treaty of peace was concluded on the 13th of Ian. 1668. This news was entertained at Madrid with a great deal of satisfaction because the affairs of Flanders grew every day worse and worse and it was necessary to take some speedy measures to preserve it or else to abandon it for good and all New levies of Souldiers were ordered in Gallicia and elsewhere and the Queen cast her eyes upon Don Iuan to send him thither to command the Troops for besides that no body was more capable of so great a trust than he was she had observed that
their Coaches the air was filled with nothing but the benedictions and praises they bestow'd upon him in a word the joy was universal in this great City The Queen and Father Confessor who received a faithful relation of the whole proceedings were sensibly concerned she to see the contempt wherewith her orders were entertain'd he to find himself so inveterately hated by the people The report of Iuan's extraordinary reception spread it self as far as Madrid and amongst several persons that receiv'd it with joy and satisfaction there were many that apprehended some disorder at the return of the Prince In order to prevent those evils that seemed to threaten them the Regidors and other Magistrates of that City assembled on the first of February They sent four of their body to the President of Castile to represent to him the great mischief that might be occasioned by Iuan's arrival with his Troops at a time when the Court was so weak and the people so insolent and disposed for a revolt that notwithstanding the Prince was well affectioned towards them yet he would not be able to prevent the lamentable effects they had reason to fear The President waited upon the Queen and the Council immediately met where it was ordered to dispatch a Courier to Don Iuan with her Majesty's Orders to send back his Guards without delay He received the Order but hastened his march making the Courier follow him two days on the third he gave him a Receipt for his Order and sent him back without any answer In the mean time that he delay'd the Couriers coming back they were alarm'd at Court with the ill success of his Voyage and their uneasiness was much increas'd in the Palace when they saw him sent back without any Letter Some of the Lords went thereupon to find out the President to desire him to tell the Queen that they were ready to undertake any thing in the world for her service The Cavalry was drawn up together and preparations were making at Madrid to sustain a siege the event whereof appeared very doubtful altho they had to deal with a Prince who was only attended by 300 Horse 'T was in effect this Guard that occasioned the greatest trouble the Queen ordered the Marquess de Penalva to assemble the reformed Officers together with those that should offer themselves to go upon this occasion and tell the Prince that her Majesty ordered him to send back the three Troops of Horse he had brought along with him The Marquess de Penalva was disposed to obey but he demanded an order of the Council Royal and the Secretary of State refused to expedite it alledging that the Queen could do nothing without the Council of the Government and that she had never consulted them about this affair The Queen being provoked sent the Secretary word That he ought seriously to consider what difficulties he was going to start at so ill an exigence and how little they were to the purpose The Cardinal Arragon the Count de Penarauda and the Vice-Chancellor came to wait upon her Majesty they represented to her that the Secretary was in the right and gave the President of Castile a severe Reprimand for giving way by his counsels to an Order that might have produced very evil consequences They resolved at last not to take up arms and to dissipate the apprehensions the people were under at Madrid 't was publickly proclaimed that Don Iuan had sent back his guards or that if he had not done it as yet yet he would send them back at the first warning The Queen having no hopes at all of seeing her self obeyed by force betook her self to more gentle methods to try if she could by that conduct oblige Don Iuan to send back his Soldiers She writ to him by Don Diego de Velasco who was his great Confident and the Letter was very courteous and civil The Prince who came secretly to Madrid to discover the state of affairs the dispositions of his friends and what he might be able to effect there very resolutely sent the Queen word again that there lay no obligation upon him to expose himself to the revenge of Father Nitard therefore he positively demanded to have him turned out of the Kingdom that after this were once done none of all her Subjects should pay a more dutiful submission to her Orders than himself This was to demand a thing of the Queen which she had no manner of inclination to grant The Noncio Borromée the Council of State and the Grandees gave themselves a great deal of trouble to no purpose to adjust the matter In the mean time the Prince appeared so firm in his resolution that all the world judged it would go very happy for the Confessor if he could escape with his life He himself was sensible enough of the danger he was in so he redoubled his importunities with the Queen to suffer him to depart She returned him no answer but by her Tears and Sighs insomuch that he chose rather to expose his own life to the utmost extremity than disoblige her by leaving her service News arrived that the Prince was come with his Troops to Torrejon-dardos which is but four leagues from Madrid Those that were of the Queens party were mightily disquieted at it and she her self was more afflicted than the rest They heard her several times repeat these words Oh Heavens this good Father will be the first Sacrifice The Council of the Government met and desired the Nuncio to carry Don Iuan the Letter the Pope had written to him wherein he conjured him to preserve those sentiments of respect and submission for the Queen which a subject ow'd his Soveraign The Nuncio went to find him and came back about midnight No body almost in this great City went to bed but attended his return with impatience for they knew the occasion of his journey and the people ran up and down the streets in great bodies asking each other who they were for The news the Nuncio brought back with him did not at all please the Queen he told her that he had earnestly requested the Prince to go to Guadalajara or at least to stay where he was a few days that new measures might be taken to satisfie him but that the Prince refused both the one and the other and said that if on the Monday following the Coâ—fâ—ssor would not go out of the Gate he would throw him out at the Window and enter Madrid on purpose to put it in execution It was afterwards known that this Negotiation passed after another manner viz. that the Prince had agreed to let Father Nitard be with the Queen provided she would grant some advantages to him which he proposed but that the Nuncio who had no kindness for the Father was resolved to break the Treaty all to pieces by concealing the favourable inclinations of Don Iuan. Father Nitard was informed of all that happened he Confessed the Queen the next morning and
afterwards threw himself at her feet beseeching her not to expose him to the outrages which he might expect to suffer from an incensed Prince that his life was at stake and that there was no other way to preserve it but by submitting to the present necessity The Queen answered him with abundance of tears that she was not able to consent to his removal that he should not disquiet himself at all for she would take care to set things to rights again He was well enough satisfied of her own good will for him but he questioned whether her power answered her inclinations nevertheless he resolved at last that he would be torn in pieces by the people before he would leave Madrid without her Order So he tarried with her having all the apprehensions upon him that a man who every moment expects his death can be capable of These affairs came to this upshot at last that on Monday the 25th of February the great Court of the Palace was filled with numbers of people of all conditions who in a disorderly manner that was not easie to be suppressed loudly demanded to have the Confessor discarded without any more delay That no body was ignorant of what Don Iuan had said to the Nuncio that the City would go near to be exposed to plunder and desolation for the sake of a Jesuit who was a stranger and had no other merit to recommend him but his pleasing the Queen The Duke d' Infantado and the Marquess de Liche seeing such a vast multitude assembled together ran to the Queens Apartment who was then in Bed She had not closed her Eyes all night long and had not enjoyed one moment of rest having it seems received some information of what had past One of her Ladies whose name was Donna Eugenia was upon her knees by her to comfort her in these extremities Alas said the Queen to her what signifies my Grandeur and these high Titles they give me since I am not allowed the liberty to keep the good man any longer with me upon whom the consolation of my life depends There is never a Lady in Spain but has the priviledge of keeping her Chaplain and no body finds fault with it But I am the only woman in the Kingdom that is persecuted upon this score and whose Confessor must be taken away from her by force The Council sate immediately because the disorder still increased in the City and it was to be feared that it would augment more and more Some of the Ministers who were in the Queens interests were for finding out some expedient to hinder the departure of Father Nitard but others pretended there was no room left for an accommodation and said that if the business was any longer delayed all would be lost that Don Iuan would soon enter Madrid and then Friends and Enemies would fare alike that their debate at present was only about a poor Ecclesiastick whom the people hated even to madness and never mentioned without the bitterest execrations altho at the bottom he never deserved them and was an honest man Her Majesty happening to be in Bed when the Duke d' Infantado and the Marquess de Liche demanded to speak with her they could not see her because it is the custom in Spain for no body to go into the Queens Chamber when she is gone to Bed So they went to the Cavacuela which is a place under ground belonging to the Palace where the Secretaries of State abide They spoke to Don Blasco de Loyola and would have given him a memoir to deliver to her Majesty but the great haste they made in running up to the Queens Apartment and afterwards in hurrying down stairs again to the Privy Council together with the great ado they made to get in caused several persons that met them to follow after them so that when they entred the Chamber where the Ministers were assembled to inform themselves of what had past they found a great rabble of people who entred along with them and began to cry out all together Deliver us from the Iesuit and send him packing The Ministers continued a while surprized and looking upon one another while the Rabble renewed their importunities adding at the same time some menaces against those that should offer to stand by the Father Confessor Without demurring any longer upon the matter they resolved to send Don Blasco de Loyola to wait upon the Queen with a Decree with which they entrusted him He brought her word that the Council had determin'd that Father Nitard should depart Madrid within three hours warning The Order was already drawn and the Queen discovered no emotion in reading it she signed it with great steadiness of mind and without shedding one tear but being desirous that her Confessors removal should not seem to be extorted by force but that he made an honourable retreat she procured an Order of Leave to be drawn up in these words Whereas F. John Everard Nitard of the Society of Jesus my Confessor Minister of State and Inquisitor General has humbly intreated me to give him leave to withdraw himself out of these Kingdoms altho I am fully satisfied not only of his integrity and his other good qualities but also of the great zeal and application wherewith he has always served the Crown yet nevertheless upon the account of his earnest supplications as well as for divers other important reasons I have given him my permission to go where he pleases And since I desire that this may be done in a manner that is suitable to his merits and dignity I have â—hought it expedient to give him his choice of going in the quality of Embassador Extraordinary either to Germany or Rome with all the emoluments and advantages that belong to that charge Given at Madrid the 25 th of February 1669. As soon as Don Blasco was gone the Queen using no farther violence with her self to keep in her tears shed them very plentifully and casting herself upon the bed with all the grief imaginable cryed out incessantly Alas alas to what purpose is it to be a Queen and Regent On the other hand the Council commanded the Cardinal of Arragon and the Count de Penaranda to go and acquaint Father Nitard with the order her Majesty had signed He who had long expected this tempest seemed not to be surprized at the News but was perswaded by the Nuncio's importunities not to go to Council as he had designed for he told him the people were so highly incensed against him that he would infallibly run the risque of being torn to pieces if he offer'd to shew himself The Superiors of the Jesuits were come to wait upon him to prepare him for this fatal stroak The Admiral of Castile came thither also telling him with great fierceness and that freedom of Conversation that so peculiarly distinguishes Persons of Quality from others that he had drawn all these Misfortunes upon himself by his own ill measures
in manner of a nitch they threw in a few Mats and there the poor Marquess was shut up It being very well known that the Marquess was retired into the Convent there was no place or corner left unsearcht by Don Antonio de Toledo and those that accompanied him They had so small a respect to the most holy places that they almost turned every thing in the Church upside down But their search was to no purpose and Don Antonio could not tell what to resolve upon He had been upon the hunt there several days to find out Valenzuela who as he now began to imagine had certainly found the means to save himself When the unhappy Marquess beinâ— almost stifled in the Hole for want of air and besides disordered with his late afflictions fell so dangerously ill that there were little hopes of his life Finding himself therefore in this desperate condition he cared not what became of him But the Father Prior having first taken the Chirurgion of the Convent's word to keep the secret inviolably sent him to the Marquess to let him blood This treacherous Villain within a quarter of an hour after discovered the whole mystery to Don Antonio who had been it seems in the Cell where poor Valenzuela lay immured almost every day since he began to make the search after him He then immediately entred the Convent and all on the sudden commanded the Pannel which covered the Marquess to be taken down He fâ—â—nd him fast asleep but very much altered by his indisposition and misfortunes his arms lay ready by him and if he had been awake there is no question to be made but that he had resolutely defended himself being a person of great courage and bravery And besides what would not a man attempt in so deplorable a condition He was conducted to the Castle de Consuegra which belongs to the Grand Priory of Castile of the order of Malta Don Iuan chose to make this the scene of his confinement because the Castle depended upon him Valenzuela lay there dangerously sick and often said in the hearing of his Guards Oh heavens and there is no hope then that I shall dye immediately must I still live after I have endured so many afflictions When he was somewhat better he was removed to the Castle de los Puntales at Cadiz where he suffered a very close imprisonment nevertheless heshowed a great deal of constancy and resolution in the midst of all his ill usage and disgraces At last he was imbarked in a Vessel to be sent to Chile in the Philipines These are certain Islands in the extreamest part of the East-Indies almost adjoyning to China 'T is a long and tedious Voyage thither and they generally transport their most notorious Criminals in Spain to those places where they are forced to work in the Quicksilver mines They seldom tarry above two years in that slavish employment but they die or at least are troubled with a general trembling in their limbs which makes them suffer infinitely more than death it self Valenzuela was inâ—ormed before his departure that he was degraded from all his honours and that the King had taken away all his Offices leaving only his bare name to him I perceive then says he very pensively that I am under more unfortunate circumstances by far than when I first came to Court and the Duke de l' Infantado took me for his Page But tho they took care to acquaint him with what related particularly to himself yet he could learn nothing of the Queen's destiny or what became of his Wife and Children They had shut up her Majesty together with them in a Convent at Talavera de la Reine and strictly commanded the Abbess not to let them stir abroad or speak to any body 'T is commonly reported that at the time when he was at the Port of Cales ready to embarque a woman of an extraordinary size handsomly drest and covered with her veil as it is the Spanish Fashion bustled through the Guards close up to him Take courage Valenzuela says she to him thy Enemy will die and thou shalt once more see Spain Those that heard her say so would have stopt her but she found out means to make her escape What she told him afterwards proved in effect to be true for Don Iuan died and one of the first graces that the Queen Mother begged of the King at her return to Madrid was to have Valenzuela recalled home So a Vessel was sent to the Philippines to bring him back but he found to his sorrow that d' Eguya hindered his return altho the Queen so earnestly desired it The Pope having received information of what had passed as well in the Church as in the Convent when they dragged Valenzuela by force out of the Escurial excommunicated all those that were concerned in the fact so that before the Lords could prevail to have the Ecclesiastical Censure taken off which by this violation of the Churches Liberty they had incurred they were obliged in white Sheets and Halters about their Necks to walk to the Imperial Colledge where Cardinal Mellini who was then Nuncio at Madrid made each of them undergo some blows of Discipline All the Kingdom testified an extraordinary satisfaction to to see Don Iuan enter upon the Government and we may safely say that all the hopes and expectations of Spain were lodged in him As he was master of a great deal of wit and vivacity so that it was natural to believe that the different emplâ—â—mâ—â—ts of his life whether in peace or war rendâ—â—ed him extreamly capable of repairing the breaches and reforming all the irregularities of the State Several of the Grandees had entred into a sort of an Association for his return and now they had leisure to make severe reflections upon the weakness of the late Government where they found nothing but private intreagues and little factions that were extreamly disadvantagious to the Publick Interest A German Queen an Infant King a Foreigner Chief Minister of State and Confessor Valenâ—uela made a Favourite and Minister without birth and without capacity raised upon the sudden by a strange caprice of Fortune and thrown down again into his primitive nothing In fine all their hopes centred in Don Iuan and they had long expected him almost to a degree of impatience but when he was once arrived and they beheld him at a nearer view presently all those great and glorious Ideas which they had conceived of him vanished away like a dream This is commonly the fate and destiny of all great Ministers the high place they possess only serves to expose them the more to the envy of their inferiours Even those persons that took the greatest pains to place them in that condition think they have laboured all the while for an ungrateful wretch and if he fails to showr down all his favours upon them will be sure to give him less quarter than any men else So small a distance there is
and Town That his â—aughty designs tend all to the Crown But durst he aspire and make such a pother If he 'd ever reflect on the Strumpet his Mother â—ave Henry 't is true tho a Bastard did reign â—ut tho his exploits are so famous in Spain So seldom to serve our true Prince we have fail'd That in spight of the Tyrant Don Pedro's bewaild Awake mighty Charles and thy Sceptre assume Let the Arrogant Wretch feel the weight of his doom And be not amazed that the People thus cry Vnder all the oppressions and burdens they lie Though too loudly they rail at the Plague of the Age Their Zeal to thy Person excuses their Rage And if they Repine and are heard to Complain It proceeds from the smart and excess of their Pain Don Iuan found these Verses upon his Toillette and in several other places of his Chamber he was more concerned at them than in reason he ought to be for certainly he could never be so vain as to imagine that he was equally acceptable to all the world These resentments having sowred and exasperated his spirit he observed that the conversation of the Count de Monterey diverted the King this was enough to render him suspected and altho this Nobleman had set himself at the head of a party which declared for the Prince's return yet all his services were forgot and the prejudices of jealousie which are sometimes too headstrong to be mastered made Don Iuanâ—end â—end him to command in Catalonia He afterwards banished him and what is more ordered a Trial to be commenced against him about the affair of Puicerda thus the unfortunate Count saw himself all in a moment removed from Court where he flattered himself long to continue in the King 's and Princes favour But that Monarch was young and destitute of experience and besides laboured under the ill effects of a bad education for a Minister that regards nothing in the world but what has a particular relation to his own interests will be sure to keep back those lights from his Prince that may help him afterwards to discover by what an ill conduct he is managed Don Iuan was very well acquainted with the policy of this Maxim and accordingly took care to conceal the affairs of State from the King with as much precaution as the Priests keep their mysteries from the people To make himself always necessary to him he never instructed him in the art of governing but perpetually amused him with some little insignificant diversions that possessed his tender years with a spirit of laziness which could never fail to produce ill consequences afterwards and never gave him leave to stir a foot out of the Palace but in his own company The people that are never sensible of events but at the very moment when they feel the smart had perhaps looked upon the banishment of the Lords and the captivity of their King with an indifferent Eye if they had not been sufferers themselves But the great scarcity of provisions that were daily inhanced the irregular administration of justice and the disorderly management of the Finances made them soon sensible that the changing of Masters is not always for the better And as it is natural to run headlong from one extream into another and the just limits of carrying on a reformation are known but to very few persons so they began to disrelish the Regency and to show a dissatisfaction that might easily have been improved into an insurrection but that the anger of the people of Spain is generally weak and feeble and 't is not only upon these occasions that the apparent fierceness of that Nation goes off and vaniâ—hes For 't is very true that the people content themselves there with railing and murmuring so that if there was any thing to be feared it was from the Grandees who notwithstanding their banishment left very considerable Relations and Friends behind them at Court These being concerned to see them exiled began privately to join and associate for the same Cause they proceeded so far as to signifie to the Queen that they passionately desired her return and that she ought to attempt something on her side as they were resolved to do something on theirs and in short they took an occasion to discourse the King about the matter They made him sensible that he was under a slavish ignominious dependance and confirmed him in his natural inclinations to take the government of the State into his own hands He relished very well the overtures they made him and the Queen likewise received her informations not without pleasure but it was not enough to wish well something of Action was necessary for the King was young wanted assistance and every one shifted it off from himself to another The pleasures of the Court and that laziness which is so peculiar to the Spaniards made them advance so slowly in their affairs that Don Iuan had leisure enough to destroy in one day the foundations they had been laying for several weeks The Queen for her part was under a confinement which held her chained to the place so that she could attempt nothing without being discovered She was afraid too of finding Traitors among her own Servants and drawing new disgraces upon her whilst she endeavoured to free her self from those she lay under at present What was past instructed her in some measure to fear and avoid what was to come As she is naturally of a slow disposition so after long reflections upon the matter she was of the opinion that she ought not by any precipitate actions hazard the future repose of her life Don Iuan on his side was alarm'd with continual fears and jealousies and having abundance of Spies about him he was instructed of what he did not care to hear the unwearied designs that were daily formed against him Notwithstanding the great authority and power with which he was invested he could not forbear very sensibly to apprehend the bad consequences of an aversion that began to be entertained so generally against him He was in a manner responsible for all the good and all the bad successes of the State and the weight of so cumbersom a Monarchy hung very heavy about him He sometimes considered with regret the tranquility he had formerly enjoyed in Flanders and Arragon in fine his spirit was not in its natural sphere and we may say of him that he even overbought the pleasure of making so great a figure on the Theatre of the World The war that was kindled 1672. between France and Holland interested several Princes of Europe who took their sides in it either according to their several inclinations or else the particular engagements they had to the powers that were then at variance Spain which is always inseparable from the interests of the Empire neither spared her Mony nor Forces upon this occasion when the Hollanders made a peace with France first in the year 1678. The Emperor and
offices of the House of the new Queen The Dutchess de Terra Nova was made Camarera Major that is first Lady of Honour but her power is of a greater extent than that of the other Ladies of Honour because she is Mistress of all the Women that serve the Queen in her Palace She is the Widow of the Duke de Terra Nova who was of the House of Pignatelli and a Grandee of Spain She in herited a vast fortune that descended to her from Fernando Cortez for her Mother bore the name of that famous Captain who left her a small Kingdom in the West Indies tho he might if he pleased have left her a more considerable one in that part of the world where he made so great a progress She is descended of a branch of the House of Arragon that setled a long while ago in Sicily she is extreamly rich of a fierce imperious humour towards persons that are above her insupportable to her equals but kind and obliging to her inferiours She has a world of wit is fixed in her resolutions and is of a deep penetrating â—pirit her temper cold and serious still preserving her Spanish gravity and never steps a foot backward or forward unless she has well considered of it before She thunders out her I will or I will not enough to make one tremble She is a meager pale woman of a long and wrinkled visage her eyes little and severe in short she makes a dangerous terrible Enemy Don Carlos of Arragon her Cousin German was assassinated by the Banditti whom she caused expresly for that purpose to come from Valentia because he demanded of her restitution of the Dutchy of Terra Nova which was in her possession altho of right it belonged to him The terrible noise this affair made in the world obliged her to retire into Arragon where Don Iuan resided at that time deeply afflicted at his misfortunes Both of them imagined that they had reason to complain of the severity of their fortune and this soon occasioned a certain friendship between them as it usually happens amongst persons of their Quality when they come to be involved in the same circumstances After they had frequently conversed with one another the Prince found out part of the Dutchesse's humour he knew she was ambitious but as all the other ill qualities of her soul were outwardly set off by the appearance of a great devotion he never took her for so malicious and spightful a Devil as she really was He therefore cast his eyes upon her to make her Camarera Major for the Young Queen The Marquess d' Astorgas was nominated at the same time to be Grand Master of her House Don Iuan had some thoughts at first of conferring this Office upon Don Vincente Gonzaga of the House of Mantua and made him quit his Viceroyship of Sicily to come and possess it which the other freely left in consideration of the place that was now offered him But his expectations were deceived for the Marquess d' Astorgas who had heaped up a prodigious wealth when he was Viceroy of Naples having profered the use of it to Don Iuan who mightily stood in need of mony at that time and accepted the profer was preferred to Don Vinâ—ente who was admitted however into the â—ouncil of State where his great abilities without question did great service Altho the Duke d' Ossone continued as yet in exile Don Iuan did not forget to nominate him for Master of the Horse to the Queen he bestowed that place upon him only that he might have an opportunity to take away from him that of the President of the Orders where his conduct it seems did not please him He affected a certain air of devotion that sate very disagreeably upon him because he mixed too much Bigotry with it and it was a strange sort of Bigotry too for this good Duke one evening caused the Count d' Humanez to be set upon in the streets by some men of Valencia who never come to Madrid but to commit murders and other crimes of that nature The occasion of the quarrel was this the Duke was passionately in love with a certain Lady and soon after came to discover that the Count was a more fortunate man than himself Nevertheless the Count escaped the danger This affair made a great bustle Don Iuan who was particularly disgusted at the Duke laid hold of this opportunity to banish him the Court but now procured this considerable post for him that he might gain over to his party a man of so great an importance besides it was his interest to see the Chief Offices of the Queen's House filled with those persons that were at his devotion and might prepossess the mind of that Young Princess in favour of him The other Officers of her House were likewise nominated about the beginning of March At the same time the Marquess de Mansera Mayor Domo to the Queen Mother was fined a hundred thousand Crowns which he paid upon the nail After this manner the King sometimes punishes the crimes that the Grandees commit against him He was soon after banished to the Castle de Cocchia and his place was given to the Count de Chinchoâ— But the Queen being highly incensed at these proceedings declared that she would never suffer it alledging that the Widow of Philip the fourth and Mother of Charles the second ought not to be treated after this unworthy manner so they were forced to let the matter drop and proceed no farther in it There happened a little after another business that occasioned a great clamour Don Francisco de Toledo second Son of the Duke of Alva the Count de Mirande Grandee of Spain the Marquess de Valero Son of the Duke de Bejar and the eldest Son of the Duke de Sessa occasioned the escape of a man that was accused of great crimes The manner whereby they brought it about was this They sent a woman with a basket of Fish to stand near the Prison she sold such good pennyworths there that a man appointed for the purpose having informed the Jaylor and the Keepers of it they presently ran to the place to buy some Fish The woman amused them with abundance of foolish stories so well that she succeeded in her design for in the mean time the above-mentioned Lords broke open the Prison Gates The King ordered all of them to be arrested however this affair like others of the same nature at Madrid brought no ill consequences upon them The King took all the care imaginable to have the young Queens Apartments in the Palace fitted up and made ready He was to have gone according to the usual custom in the month of April to Aranjues but Don Iuan hindred him because that place was too near Toledo so he went to Buen-Retiro The Queen Mother wrote to him thither desiring that he would be pleased to come and see her but tho she prest it with a great deal of
tenderness and importunity she was not able to succeed in her desires He diverted himself every day with hunting and seeing Comedies either at Pardo or Zarzuela which are two Houses of Pleasure belonging the King of Spain The Opera d' Alcine was represented before him it cost a world of mony but was miserably performed There was likewise a Bull-feast kept where two young Cavaliers unfortunately perished On the following day there was running at the ring About this time the Prince de Ligne arrived and a day or two after kissed his Majestys hand and took his place at the Council of State Father Francis de Relux a Dominican came likewise from Salamanca where he had been Professor of Divinity and was chosen by Don Iuan to be the Kings Confessor The Duke of Alva had engaged that he should submit himself intirely to Don Iuan's will who accepted him upon his parole At this time the Cardinal de Portacarero Archbishop of Toledo returned from Rome The Court at Madrid was very full and numerous On the twentieth of Ianuary the King of France named the Marquess de Villars to be his Ambassador in Spain who was at that time under the same Character at Savoy He was known to the Court of Spain for in the year 1673. he resided there in quality of Ambassador he arrived at Madrid on the seventeenth of Iune and those persons that were well acquainted with the disposition of Don Iuan very much doubted whether he would meet with that reception which he might reasonably promise himself they knew well enough that the natural haughtiness of Don Iuan would never comply with the instructions of that Minister who to be sure would never go to visit the Prince unless he were assured beforehand of receiving the honour of the Hand the Step and the Chair that Don Iuan would never consent to this proposal because it was not to be imagined that he would easily give up the rights he had obtained over the other Ambassadors and that it would be an inconvenient thing for him of France not to treat directly with the chief Minister What people surmised upon this occasion really happened for the Prince would not bate him an ace and the Marquess de Villars kept fast to his instructions Therefore they looked upon one another with great coldness but nevertheless this did not hinder the Ambassador from having a private Audience of the King on the eighth of Iuly and a publick one a little after upon the conclusion of his Marriage with Mademoiselle Don Iuan had three fits of a Tertian Ague towards the beginning of Iuly On the thirteenth the Secretary of the Marquess de los Balbazez arrived who brought word that the King had consented to the marriage of Mademoiselle with the King of Spain Nothing is equal to the joy that he shew'd upon this account for he had expected the news with the greatest impatience He ordered Te Deum to be sung at our Ladies d' Atocha all the Houses in the City were illuminated with white Wax Tapers and Bonefires were to be seen in every street An hundred and fifty Cavaliers of the best Families in the Kingdom performed a Masquerade on horse-back that consisted only of some embroiderie Tiffany Ribbons and Feathers for they were apparalled in black as they used to be but were not masqued at all After this manner they ran all night every man carrying a Flambeaux in his hand all these divertisements lasted three days and three nights A Courier arrived soon after who brought the contract of the King's marriage this was soon communicated to the Queen Mother who exprest a great deal of joy at it The Ratification was presently sent back and Bonefires were made as before While the people did thus endeavour to express their zeal to the King the servants of the Queen Mother were busied in finding out some means or other to advance her return The Marquess de Villars had refused to follow the example of the other Ambassadors in the conduct they used towards Don Iuan upon the occasion of those new customs which they suffered him to establish and this seemed a favourable opportunity to perswade the enemies of the Prince that Monsieur de Villars had some secret instructions which were not favourable to him They flattered themselves immediately with the hopes of making him one of their party and believed it would extreamly strengthen their own side if they could once bring him over to them Upon this consideration the greater part of the Courtiers applauded him mightily for his constancy and made him abundance of complements upon that score He was respected at Madrid and had the good fortune to find out several of his friends again and the Queen Mother shewed a particular esteem for him She gave him a very obliging proof of this when he came to wait upon her at Toledo for after publick Audience was over she was pleased to entertain him in private about her own Affairs and testified what an entire confidence she reposed in him But altho several proposals were made to him to be of a party against the Prince and besides his own natural disposition led him to espouse the quarrel of those persons who opposed a Minister whose civilities he had no great reason to applaud yet he was of opinion that in this present conjuncture it would be his best way to remain Neuter He considered still that the marriage of the King of Spain with Mademoiselle would bring along with it some agreements that were not to be expected before the arrival of that Princess that it was a sure unfailing way to oppose one power to another that this young Princess would never suffer theMinister of France to be run down in that Court where she was to become the Mistress and sole delight that it was certain she would link her self to the interests of the Queen Mother that the most Christian Queen who loved both the one and the other very affectionately would be sure to give her this in charge before her departure amongst the other counsels which she was always to observe that their credit being united together and seconded by all those persons that desired another Government Don Iuan would without question find himself obliged to give way Most persons reasoned after the same manner upon this affair and encouraged one another to stand firm against the Favourite they now began to speak those things aloud which before they were almost afraid to mutter in private they complained of him and importuned the King to call the Exiles home and openly promoted the return of Queen Mother Don Iuan was now more disquieted than ever the appearance only of his fall had prevailed with several persons who ought to have been his Creatures to abandon him for good and all and as for those that remained they had neither authority nor merit enough to support him He could scarce find any comfort but when he was alone but this sort of conduct
considerable and possessed the Chief Offices and greatest employments There is another Class of Courtiers still behind which is only composed of young Lords who are there called Guaps as we call them in France les petits Mâ—â—tres The most witty and well-shaped among these are reckoned to be the Duke d' Vâ—zeda the Marquess de Penaranda the Count d' Altamire the Sons of the Duke de Cessa the Prince de Montoleon Don Antonio and Don Francisco de Toledo Sons of the Duke Dalbe and Don Fernand de Toledo his Nephew the two Silva Brothers to the Duke de Pastrane the Marquess de Leyva the Duke de Medina Sidonia the Marquess de Quintana and the Son of the Duke de Medina Celi Altho the eldest of these Lords is not above 25. years old yet they were most of them married for they take care in Spain to make themselves acquainted with his Godship Hymen as soon as is possible And now as for the Ladies I shall only say in general that there is no place in the world where they have a greater share of vivacity and wit and a better talent to please than they have in Spain amongst these without reckoning the Maids of Honour that belonged to the two Queens the most remarkable for wit were the Dutchesses Dalbuquerque de Terra Nova d' Ossone de Frias de Medina Celi d' Hijar de Pastrane and the Countesses de Monterey and de Villambrosa for beauty the Marchioness de Liche the Princess de Montelion the Marchioness de la Roche the Countess de Penaranda the Princess Stillano the Dutchess d' Osseda the Wife of Don Pedro of Arragon that of Don Henrique Henriques and the Marchioness de la Puebla The constraint wherein they live the climate of the Country and their own natural temper carry them to gallantry on course They are for the most part little lean and slender their skin is swarthy soft and painted their features regular their eyes full of fire their hair black and in great abundance and their feet small to admiration Their habit sits so ill upon them that unless one has been long accustomed to it she can scarce know how to endure it The men are no less disadvantageously apparalled they always come to Court in their Golilia and a black Cloak and hanging sleeves and altho they be never so well shaped and handsom with fine heads of hair and good features yet their awkward way of dressing and parting their hair on one side of their face and throwing it behind their ears does abominably disfigure them This digression has caused me to interrupt the series of these Memoirs but now to reassume my discourse I must inform my Reader that the good understanding which passed between the King and the Queen Mother occasioned abundance of people to make their court to the latter They looked upon her as a Princess who had assumed all her former Authority for the King was still young and had need of good counsel and his Mother being accustomed to Govern was for all sorts of reasons more capable to direct him than any one besides Nay it was commonly believed that she would not be displeased to take the Government again into her hands and so some by inclination and others out of policy endeavoured to get into her favour in order to obtain some place or other under the new Ministry that was going to be formed as well upon the score of her return as the arrival of the young Queen The world had reason to believe that the face of affairs would be absolutely changed and therefore every one thought of himself in the present conjuncture 'T is true abundance of persons that were very well read in politicks judged that the Queen Mother would not perhaps manage the Reins of the Government they pretended that this would be always a weighty and troublesom Charge that she had been of late years accustomed to ease and quietness and having undergone all the varieties of an uncertain fortune she was afraid of seeing her self exposed to them the second time that there was hopes she would disswade the King from taking a chief Minister and that she would be forward enough to make him conceive an aversion for one that to effect this she only needed to put him in mind of the sorry figure he made when Don Iuan had such an authority over him and that in fine she would endeavour to form a Junta which should be composed of her own Creatures that this would be the true way to Reign without making her self responsible for any events that all her Orders would be punctually executed and yet she not appear to have any hand in them I ought to acquaint my Reader that a Iunta is an extraordinary Council of State which the Kings of Spain erect to remedy the pressing necessities of the State For example Philip IV. by his last Will created a Iunta to serve and assist the Queens Council during the minority of the King his Son Thus people searched after and as easily found out the Lords who were to compose this Iunta the hatred or the friendship of those persons that made reflections upon the present affairs enriched or impoverished those they had a mind to they bestowed Offices and took them away they made vows to no purpose and had effectual fears and apprehensions upon them In a word all these busie Spirits were divided upon the point and the most quiet among them found themselves somewhat concerned for what was to come But the Queen Mother made no stir she seemed in appearance to have no other thoughts than how to establish her self in the favour of the King her Son and serve her self in the same condition This young Prince was passionately in love and was sensible of all the pleasure that accompanies those agreeable Ideas that love uses to inspire and flattered himself to see all his expectations suddenly crowned the possessing a Princess who was already become so dear to him employed his heart to such a degree that he could think of nothing else He pressed the time of his departure that he might be the sooner with her The arrival of the Courier who brought the news that the Queen was advanced towards the frontiers was expected with extream impatience The Marquess de los Balbazez sent them word exactly on what day she was to arrive at Irun while she was in the territories of France the Kings Houshold waited upon her The Prince d' Harcourt accompanied her in quality of Ambassador Extraordinary and the Princess his Wife likewise made the journey The Mareshal Clerambant's Lady who was Governness to her waited upon her as Lady of Honour Mademoiselle de Grance as Lady of the Wardrobe and this place has left her the name of Madam instead of that of Mademoiselle Nothing was omitted in any of the Cities through which her Majesty passed to receive her with a respect suitable to her high rank and we
may say she so much set off the grandeur of her Birth by her natural beauty and by her engaging and courteous deportment that all France was sensibly grieved to lose her One of the first persons that took the freedom to speak to the Queen and give her advice was a Religious Theatin called Father Vintimiglia He was born in Sicily of an Illustrious Family and was Brother to the Count de Prade who happened to be Governour of Palermo at the time when that City revolted in the late troubles He had been seized and people thought it would have cost him his head but he got the favour to be sent to Madrid to justifie himself his Brother the Theatin went along with him to assist him with his credit He was a bold hardy adventurous man and devoted himself entirely to Don Iuan and his zeal for that Prince carried him so far that in some of his Sermons he spoke of the Queen Mother with very little respect This Father departed from Madrid in company with the Duke d' Ossone and tho he had not now any hopes of being made the Queens Confessor as he had before the death of Don Iuan yet he could not forbear to go as far as Bayonne to salute her his deportment his birth and his knowledge of the French tongue which he spoke perfectly well because he had resided a long time at Paris procured him access enough to the young Queen to take his opportunity of prepossessing her with some suspicions and jealousies against the Queen her Mother in Law and the French Ambassador By this piece of conduct he did not only design to injure those persons who had formerly been enemies to Don Iuan but he had a particular aim that personally respected himself and wherein his ambition had by much the upper hand of his discretion and that was to perswade the Queen to endeavour the erecting of a Iunta that was to depend solely upon her He told her that in order to bring this design about she was to chuse the Duke d' Ossone to be a member of it because he was a person of consummate abilities and besides had a great zeal for her Majesty he took care to reckon himself in the number of the Ministers and could not forbear to write a Scheme of the Government the memoirs of which he gave to the Duke d' Harcourt to the end that he might present them to the Queen but 't is very probable he never showed them to her Majesty The Queen was now advanced as far as St. Iohn-de-Luz and she departed from thence about one a clock in the afternoon on the third of November followed by the Guards an Corps of the King She came to a wooden house that was purposely prepared for her it was gilded and painted within and without there was a great Hall in it a Chamber and a moveable Closet of Crimson-Damask with Galloon and a rich Lace of Gold and Silver This house was scituate upon the brink of the River de Bidassoa which parts France from Spain As soon as the Queen arrived there she put on a most sumptuous Habit then coming into the Hall she took part of a noble Collation There she staid a little and afterwards retired into her Chamber after this she ascended a Scaffold and placed her self in a Chair of State under a noble Canopy at this very moment she was seized with an air of melancholy which shewed what a regret she had to be so near leaving France The Prince d' Harcourt placed himself at her right hand the Princess d' Harcourt at her left the Mareshal Clerambaut's Lady and Madam de Grance behind her Chair Monsieur de Saintot went to inform the Marquess d' Astorgas of it who was Major Dâ—no to the Queen He was in a Boat upon the River near a little Island which the Treaty of the Pyrantes has rendred since so famous and which was joyned to the Queen's House by a Bridge of Communication The Guards de Corps formed themselves into several Squadrons in this place The Marquess was waiting for his orders in this Boat which was very magnificent and was prepared on purpose to carry her Majesty over to the other side As soon as he was informed that the Queen expected him he set foot upon the ground and fourscore persons Gentlemen Pages or Valets marched on foot before him he threw himself immediately at the feet of the Queen kissed her hand made her a Complement got up again and covered himself without staying for the Queen to say any thing to him The Prince d' Harcourt covered himself likewise at the same time The Marquess spoke to her all the while in Spanish and presented her Majesty with two Letters from the King and Queen Mother but before he gave them he touched them upon his Forehead his Eyes his Mouth and his Heart as the fashion is The Queen told him she was extreamly glad that the King her Husband had given him the charge of conducting her After this the old Marquess turned himself towards the Prince d' Harcourt and made him a Complement who answered that he had orders from the King his Master to deliver the Queen of Spain into his hands Monsieur de Chateanneuâ— Counsellor of the Parliament of Paris read the Act of Deliverance in French and Don Alançon Caruero Secretary of State read the Act of Reception in Spanish The Marquess presented several persons of Quality to her Majesty who kissed her hand kneeling down upon one Knee The Bishop of Pampelune kissed her hand but did not kneel The Queen did not press to depart but the Marquess informed her that it was high time to march she immediately arose placing him on her right hand and a Mâ—nin of Honour on her left upon whose shoulder she leaned for he was a young Boy and thus she advanced towards the Bridge The Dutchess de Terra Nova met her just about the middle and kissed her hand with the Ladies of the Palace that followed her who threw themselves all at her feet After the Dutchess had made her Complement she presented several Spanish Ladies to the Queen Monsieur de Repaire Lieutenant of the King'sGuards duCorps who carried the Queens Train gave it to the Dutchess The Queen entred into the Boat along with her her Chamber was glazed all over and thus being all alone with this old Dame she cast her eyes frequently towards that side of the Kingdom which she had quitted and her languishing air sufficiently testified by what commotions she was agitated within Twenty four Seamen placed in two Barques drew the Boat along and the Spanish Horse discharged their Musquetoons and Pistols as soon as it began to move the artillary of Fontarabia answered them with a great firing The Prince and Princess d' Harcourt the other Ladies and all the Queens Attendants passed over in Boats that were prepared on purpose The Queen setting foot upon the Ground towards the evening found
the Marquess very haughtily This dispute obliged the Queen to take Coach again She lay that night at Tolosette where as soon as she was arrived the Duke d' Ossone arrested the Guard who had abused his Coachman because he would not suffer the Coach of the Marquess d' Astorgas to go before his This quarrel was renewed upon the discharging of their Offices the Marquess pretended that all the honours of the Queens Reception belonged to him the Duke maintained that he being Master of the Horse ought therefore to have all the pre-eminences in her House To decide the matter they were forced to write to the King about it who decided it in favour of the Marquess The Duke not thinking himself justly dealt with continued his pretensions still but this obstinacy drew an Order upon him to return to Madrid with a prohibition to pass through Burgos where the King was at that time In effect the King left Madrid on the twenty second of October being but slenderly accompanied The Duke de Medina Celi Lord Chamberlain the Constable and Don Ioseph de Silva were all three in his Coach as for the Admiral of Castile he did not go along with them for he pretended that for want of mony he was not in a capacity to fit out an answerable equipage there might indeed be something of truth in this pretence but it is certain that his natural laziness was the real occasion he loved his pleasure he shunned all trouble and carefully avoided whatever might make him uneasie and this was the true reason why he did not meet the King and Queen till they were within a days journey of Madrid The King continued fifteen days at Burgos because he was extreamly troubled with a Cold in the mean time the Queen advanced forwards by small journeys She wrote to him several times and he answered her again Her Majesty was forced to send to him to demand leave to dine in publick and sometime to ride on Horseback for those two terrible Creatures the Marquess d' Astorgas and the Camarera Major would not consent to it till they had received positive Orders He granted it very freely and she sent to him in this place a Watch beset with Diamonds and a Cravat with a Knot of a fire colour He immediately put on the Cravat and ordered five hundred Pistols to be given to the Gentleman who brought him the Present The Count d' Altamire Grandee of Spain came to Ognate to complement the Queen from the King and presented her with Bracelet of Diamonds and Rubies She arrived on the eleventh to Victoria where a lamentable Comedy was prepared to Regale her There it was that she drest her self first a l' Espagnolle and she appeared no less beautiful and charming in that than in her French Habit. She went likewise to the Great Church where the Bishop of Calahorra received her at the Gate and held the Canopy over her she afterwards was pleased to go and see a Bull-feast in the Market-place but there was little or no magnificence in the sight because it was only performed by Citizens She received in this place a pair of Pendants for the Ears with Pearls to them of a Pear fashion this present was sent to her from the Queen Mother and was valued at four hundred thousand Livers Monsieur the Ambassador of France came to wait upon her at Bribiesca and tho he tarried but a little time with her and their Conversation was but short yet he could very easily observe that she exprest a great uneasiness and a particular distrust of him he could not penetrate into the reason of it however he presently judged that these dispositions were not natural to her he told her several things that might be serviceable to her he advised her not to amuse her self with the different impressions that any persons might endeavour to make upon her that she ought to consider that the greatest part of those that waited on her only minded their own proper interests that her surest way would be to love the King cordially and so by that means engage him to love her to unite her self to the Queen Mother and concert all affairs with her that she ought to rest satisfied that that Princess had a great kindness for her and that if she took care to make suitable returns she would find the affections of a true Mother in her The young Queen was already prepared for this discourse and particularly for what concerned the Queen Mother She had been tampered with upon that point before but if she had seriously examined what he spoke to her she had soon been made sensible as she was a person of extraordinary wit that the Ambassador dealt plainly with her and that whoever perswaded her to the contrary endeavoured to disunite her from her real interests He took his leave of her and went back to the King at Burgos and during this short time he had the honour to discourse with her she still entertained him with great coldness and indifferency The Prince d' Harcourt was advanced as far as Burgos to salute the King and since the Queen was to come to Quintanapalla which is within three leagues of it it was generally supposed that she would come to lie there on the nineteenth of November and that the Ceremony of the Marriage would be there solemnized But the Marquess de Villars having met as he was coming back the Patriarch of the Indies who was going to meet the Queen it came immediately into his head that the Marriage might perhaps be consummated without his being informed of it this thought made him inquire the news of Don Geronimo d' Eguya Secretary of State who only told him that the Queen was expected the next day at Burgos This doubtful answer which had nothing positive in it obliged our Ambassador to inform himself still more particularly and he understood at last that the King was to go the next day to Quintanapalla to celebrate the Marriage Being assured of this he took care to send advice of it to the Prince d' Harcourt and they departed together soon enough to be with the Queen before the King arrived thither When they came there they found it no difficult matter to discover that the Spaniards desired to have the Marriage solemnized without them The Camarera Major who was altogether of that opinion and to whom they spoke with abundance of honest freedom told them coldly that they were not to assist at the Ceremony and that the King would have no body be there except only those whose presence was indispensably necessary such as the chief Officers and some Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber The Prince d' Harcourt and the Marquess de Villars answered that the King their Master had given them Orders to be present at it She fiercely replied that the King their Master had nothing to do to command in Spain Monsieur de Villars told her that the King his Master was used to
for Madam de Grance which was to be paid her where-ever she lived The Princess d' Harcourt and the other Ladies that followed the Queen went back to France while she and the King took the way to Madrid being both by themselves and sate in the back part of the Coach Several Officers of the Houshold went before and marched by different Roads to avoid an embarras the Counts d' Arcos and de Talara Don Ioseph de Silva and the Duke d' Hijar Gentlemen of the Chamber were named by the King to accompany him in his journey he came back the very same way as he went to Burgos he lay at Lerma at Aranda at St. Stephen de Gormas and at Guadalajara The Nuncio and the Venetian Ambassador came thither to make their Complements to the Queen The next day their Majesties arrived at Torrejon which is within three leagues of Madrid All the while that the Court was on the way from Burgos to this place the Camarera Major frequently discoursed the King in private She found it no difficult matter to insinuate those sentiments into him that are so natural to the Spaniards and he had for his share been educated in a Country where they make no reckoning of a Ladies virtue unless they take away from her all opportunities of trangressing She represented to him the ill consequences of that liberty which the women are allowed in France that it was absolutely necessary for the Queen to live after the retired manner that those of her sex observe at Madrid that she was young lively and of a brillant spirit accustomed to the French fashions that what is innocent in one place may become criminal in another but if he would be pleased to confide in her she would by her great diligence prevent every thing The King commended her zeal and gave her sufficient assurances of his confidence The Queen Mother was arrived at Torrejon before the King she quitted her Apartment to go and meet their Majesties when the King saw her he ran to her and embraced her very tenderly the young Queen advanced forward at the same time to kiss heâ— hand but the Queen Mother would not suffer it She took her between her Arms and embraced her several times with great testimonies of friendship treating her still by the name of Her Majesty but the young Queen told her that she requested her to call her Daughter and love her as one and to be perswaded that she had all those dutiful sentiments for her that might make her worthy of this Honour The King gave her his hand on one side and the Queen Mother on the other and thus going between them she entred the Palace that had been prepared to receive them The Queen Mother perceiving that the Queen had never a Muff presented her with her own about which was a great knot of Diamonds afterwards she took from her a Ribbond that tied some of her Tresses and in exchange put upon her Arm a Bracelet that was computed to be worth three thousand Pistols In a word she showed the Queen all marks of her good inclinations to her from which she might promise her self all happy consequences She staid with their Majesties as long as she could but went home that evening because this place had not conveniencies enough to receive her The next day which was the second of December the King and Queen arrived at Madrid in a Coach with the Curtains open that they might be seen by the people They went down to our Ladies Datocha where Te Deum was sung and at night lay at Buen-Retiro the next day a Comedy was acted and some French Musitians that followed the Queen prepared some Opera's The Dutchess de Terra Nova being resolved to take entirely from the Queen that little liberty that remained to her and desiring to continue sole Mistress of her Majesty's Will declared when she was arrived at Buen-Retiro that no body of what quality or condition soever should see the Queen till after she had made her publick entry This was a sorrowful state and a heavy restraint to the young Queen to find her self thus all on a sudden shut up from those persons that either might have afforded her some consolation or diversion or useful advice She kept her in this solitary condition at Retiro without permitting her so much as to go out of her Apartment All the entertainment they regal'd her with was to see long fulsom tedious Comedies little of which she understood and the terrible Camarera was incessantly before her eyes with a severe affected air and never laught but was perpetually finding fault with something or other She was a professed enemy to all manner of pleasure and she treated her Mistress with as much Authority as a Governess would use towards a little Girl The Marquess de Villars knew all that passed and was mightily concerned at it but it was not time as yet to speak of it He sent to the Dutchess de Terra Nova to know whether he might have leave to salute the Queen she answered him just as she did all the rest of the world that she was not to be seen till after the Entry was over This answer he looked upon to be so positive that not desirous to run the risque of meeting a second refusal he was forced to acquiesce but the Queen being informed of what had hapned by some of the French women that still continued with her could not forbear to acquaint the King with it and obtained leave to see our Ambassador de secreto that is to say as a private person She immediately took care to inform him of it and the Marchioness de Villars imagining that she might likewise have the favour of the same priviledge sent to the Camarera Major to know whether she might be admitted to wait upon the Queen but she received the same answer that Monsieur the Ambassador had received from her before saying in a few words she had no order to let her in The Gentleman that discoursed the matter with her still insisted that she had something of moment to say to her 't is all one says the Camarera I 'll never suffer any new customs to be introduced within these Walls Her Majesty not knowing what had passed between the Camarera and the Ambassador's Lady charged her Confessor to tell her that she desired to see her and that she would extreamly oblige her by making her a visit But she was not in a capacity to obey the Orders she had received and the Confessor being informed what obstacles stood in the way very fairly gave the Queen an account of all She was not a little troubled at the ill services the Dutchess had done her and one may be able to judge by these few instances what an absolute power that old Lady assumed in the Queens House and over the Queens person The Queen Mother who came every day to Retiro observed an air of melancholy in the looks
all his ambition was to contribute what in him lay to the erecting a Junto The Queen Mother was not unwilling to have this project take effect because this was the way to keep the entire Authority in her own hands for the Council being composed of her creatures they would in all probability act according to her directions The Constable for his part secretly promised that by his conduct and management he would always keep the upper hand over the other two and that thus his Companions would only enable him to bear the publick hatred in case any thing should meet with ill success But this Junto that would lodge all the authority in the hands of three persons only destroyed at the same time the expectations of all those that would have it be divided amongst more out of a consideration of their own interest This party desired to have it full as numerous as it was during the Regency and would have it composed of the Cardinal Portocarero Archbishop of Toledo of Don Melchior Navarra who had been formerly Vice Chancellor of Arragon of the Duke de Medina Celi and the other three whom I have mentioned After so many different projects People were so well satisfied that the Council at last would be only composed of the Queen Mothers Creatures that the alarm became general to those persons who had been devoted to Doâ— Iuan and were very apprehensive of the credit of the Queen Mother and the advancement of the Constable Several of them assembled hereupon they beheld their ruine in the elevation of the contrary party and united themselves to the D. de Medina Celi to find protection from him out of hopes of beholding him made Chief Minister They considered that it would be more advantageous to them to see one man made happy who was sure to befriend them than to see three happy persons depending upon one alone who had just reasons to wish them ill The Duke de Mediea Celi was of an equal and peaceable temper which rendred him agreeable to the King This good fortune which seem'd particular to himself made him be looked upon by the greater part of the Courtiers as the only man that ought to pretend to this favour in a Câ—urt where the greatness of rank and birth is one of the most essential qualities to recommend a Chief Minister Those that penetrated into the true disposition of the King saw very well that in the midst of these different parties the Duke could not fail to get the better but whether it was an effect of his Prudence and Moderation or whether it was occasioned by the Intrigues of those persons that were on the contrary side he advanced but slowly It appears probable that the greatest part of his Ambition came from his Friends and that he rather followed the advices they inspired into him than his own proper inclinations I desire the same thing that you do would he say to them but in truth the tranquillity a man abandons to expose himself to all the murmurs of the people and to all publick inquietudes very much moderates the pleasure that is inseparable from so great a Post and unless it were for the service we hereby render to our Master I can't imagine how any man could find any satisfaction in a thing that draws so many hazards along with it Thus people busied themselves about the two different factions that were formed by the Constable supported by the Queen Mother and by the Duke de Medina-Celi who was seconded by all the Creatures of Don Iuan But while these Rivals were openly disputing the prize and all the Court seemed divided between them every one embracing a party according to his own inclinations Don Ieronimo d' Eguya formed a third almost alone He saw himself all on the sudden made Secretary of State when the Marquis de Valenzuela after the removal of F. Nitard became the Queen Mother's Favourite and took away that Office from Don Pedro Fernandez del Campo who did not behave himself supple and submissive enough to him so that we may say his Haughtiness was the occasion of his Fall Valenzuela having no reason to be content with him obliged him to quit his Office and bestowed it upon d' Eguya He had too fresh an example before his eyes to fall into the same fault and being very adroit complaisant and well enough versed in dissimulation neglected nothing to please Valenzuela as long as he stood upon his Feet but when he saw his Fortune declining and that the Court declared in favour of Don Iuan he presently copied after them and preserved himself during that Ministry by his exemplary Submission He was one of the first that espoused his party and was likewise one of the first that abandon'd the Prince when he saw his credit began to sink in the world Nay some time before the end of Don Iuan he managed himself as he had done before Valenzuela's fall he entred into a correspondence with the Queen Mother assuring her that he would only depend upon her so whether she was really perswaded of his sincerity or had not as yet a fit occasion to remove him from his Post she suffered him to continue in it without the least molestation In all these Changes he only held his place by a Commission but as this furnished him with an occasion to see the King perpetually and to discourse him in private about all affairs so he made use of this opportunity to possess him with a distrust of all those that might with justice make pretensions to his favour nay even of the most considerable persons So that being only a simple Secretary of State by a Commiâ—â—ion and in all appearance of a narrow unexperienced Genius he beheld himself in a capacity to ballance at one time two powerful parties so that neither one nor the other could succeed in their affairs so long as he opposed them Whatsoever Inclinations the King had for the Duke de Medina Celi Don Ieronimo frustrated them by awakening him with an Idea of Don Iuan's Ministry The Slavery he then suffered the Persecution of the Queen Mother so many Persons of quality ill used without any occasion the Misery of the People and many other disorders that inevitably happen when the Government is abandoned to the Caprice of one man On the other hand he represented a Junto to him as a Company of Ministers that would command every body and everlastingly embarras their own affairs by their Jealousies and mutual Discords that it would be a burthen to himself as well as unprofitable to the State that Junto's might do some good under a Minority but that his Majesty was too far advanced in Age to want any Governors that suppose he were pleased to compose one yet the obligation he had to make the Constable one of the number would involve him in new difficulties that his temper was haughty and imperious in Authority and that he was wholly devoted to the
at night on the twenty first of February 1680. and acquainted him with the good news No body had any reason to be surprized at the Duke's elevation It seems he had promised himself the place some time before whether it were because the King gave him his promise or that some outward appearances assured him of it However it was it was agreed upon by all hands at Court that the King could not have made a better choice He was a person in whom all good qualities were to be found his agreeable Conversation his obliging Character his noble and generous Deportment his free easie Temper made him beloved by all theâ— world People only wundered that being so great a Lord as he was he would sacrifice his repose to the administration of Affairs that were then in a miserable condition They could scarce imagine and perhaps he was of the same opinion himself how he could ever be able to remedy evils of so inveterate a malignity Before he could effect this he must in all appearance make an intire Change in the ordering of the Monarchy but this was an impracticable design and impossible to be executed As soon as the choice His Majesty had made in favour of the Duke came to be publickly known all Persons that were of any Quality went to complement him as well the Ministers of foreign Princes as the Grandees of Spain The next day being accompanied by all his Friends and Relations he repaired to Court to kiss his Majesty's hand and thank him most humbly for all his great favours On the following days he received visits in his Bed pretending a slight indisposition to exempt himself from the fatigue of Ceremonies His Apartment and Furniture were extreamly magnificent but it is an odd sight to see a Spaniard in his Bed of State because they wear no Morning Gowns here but only their Golilia and black Cloaks and have their Hats on or else are bare-headed for the Men as well as the Women wear no Caps He had enjoyed the place of Sumiller de Corps i. e. Lord Chamberlain for a long time and in this Quality he was the only person that commanded in the King's Chamber and lay there He did not delay to give publick Audience in the Hall which they call the Rubis and is the place where the Council of State uses to assemble 'T is under the King's Apartment Here it was that the Duke received the visit of the Nuncio and the Venetian Ambassador they did not seem to be pleased at the manner wherein the Chairs were disposed because it could not absolutely be determined whether either of them or he had the Chief Place of Honour Besides this he only reconducted them to the middle of the Hall of Audience They acquainted the Marquess de Villars with it who told them that he had designed to make that visit along with them because the Ambassadors of the Chappel generally acquit themselves of these sorts of devoirs together but that he was not displeased with himself for not being there since he was resolved to take direction by the fault they had committed and that he would not neglect as they did to use all necessary precautions about the Step Place and Rank and would be assured both of the one and the other before he performed that Ceremony In short he sent to the Duke to know whether he would not receive him as Don Louis de Haro used to receive the Ambassadors of France he immediately agreed to it and that there might be no mistakes committed the places were marked out and every thing was adjusted before the day of Audience The other Ambassadors were concerned at the oversight they had committed and by this visit of our Ambassador regulated those they continued to make to the Chief Minister The Count de Monterey kissed the Kings hand and the Queens he complemented them from the part of the City of St. Iago de Compostella the Marquess d' Astorgas did the same from the City of Avila About this time Don Francisco d' Agourto was nominated by the King to be Master of the Camp General of the Cavalry The Envoy extraordinary from England surprized all the Court by the strict prohibition he gave his Domesticks not to suffer any Ecclesiasticks or Religious to come within his Doors The young Queen was so taken up with the diversions of the Carnaval that she had scarce opportunity to perceive that this was a set time of mirth and jollity Her best days were spent in hunting with the King and the three last days of the Carnaval there was a Comedy represented upon the Theatre at Buen-Retiro which is a well-contrived Building The King and the Queen saw it on the Sunday the next day it was acted before the several Councils and on Tuesday before the Officers of the City The Queen being informed that the Dutchess de Bejar and the Marchioness de Castel Rodrigo who had never bore any Children before were each of them delivered of a Son begged leave of the King to send them word that she wished them joy I agree to it says the King smiling on condition that within nine months they will come in their turn to perform the same complement to you All Spain impatiently expected to see what remedies the New Ministers would apply to those disorders that seemed for a long time to be radicated in the Monarchy but whatever good intentions he had to rectifie them he found it a difficult matter to put them in execution The King's Treasury was exhausted several private Families ruined the price of all Commodities excessive high and these perplexities were heightned by the connivance of the Magistrates and the length of time During the Ministry of Don Iuan nothing had been set in order and since his death one would have thought they had affected to abandon all manner of business To this we may add that the Duke de Medina Celi had never been in any employ where he might learn that experience which is so necessary for Government He was born and bred in the Genius of Madrid which is so supine and careless that nothing almost is determined there Nay what is more he suffered the Master of the Council to deliberate about the Publick Affairs after the same manner as he did before his Ministry and submitted to take his Counsel he likewise erected Iunta's to debate of those things which he supposed to carry any great difficulty with them He erected one amongst the rest to which he nominated the Constable the Admiral and the Marquess d' Astorgas all which three were Councellors of State he also admitted three Divines whereof the King's Confessor was one and three Councellors of the King's Council to examine along with him the Affair of the President of Castile about which the Nuncio made so great a noise The occasion of this Dispute was this Monsieur Mellini the Nuncio had a mind to preside over a Chapter of Religious whom they call
is pretended to be unjustly judged by the Parliaments of Vailladolid and Granada which are the two Parliaments of Castile When the President of Castile goes out of the Council the Counsellors follow him to his Chair he never makes any Visits never gives the Right hand to any at his House he is to give the King an account of the most important affairs that pass in Council where they name a Council every Week to report them When the King comes there they all uncover themselves and kneel down Afterwards they cover themselves and sit When Audience is over the King retires into his Cabinet with the President who discourses him about business of the greatest moment for which the King gives his Orders and this does not return any more to the Chamber for the Counsellors to deliberate upon it In the Year 1609. all Castile was divided into five Districts and every District is under a Counsellor of the Council Royal who takes cognizance of the conduct of the Judges the Lords Ecclesiasticks and other secular Persons Besides this there is a particular Council that is called the Council of the Chamber of Castile the President is the Chief and the King names a certain number of Counsellors of the Council Royal whether they be three or four that compose it Here it is that they dispatch all Benefices in the King's Nomination Titles and Patents for the most considerable Places Letters of Naturalization and the Ratification of Orders to arrest the Grandees of Spain and the Graces and Favours to which his Majesty is pleased to give his Consent The King receives prodigious Sums of Money for the Places that are sold by the means of these Counsellors He gives likewise the Patents and Commissions of several places of Justice and 't is commonly pretended that in the two Castiles the Kingdom of Leon Guypuscoa Biscay the Province de Hana and in Navarr there are above 72 thousand places of Judicature Secretary of State and of the Vniversal Dispatch This Secretary is in a condition to serve or injure people according as he stands affected to them for all the Requests and Petitions which they call Memorials here and are presented to the King or Chief Minister pass through his hands 'T is he who sends them to his Counsellors who are to give their advice concerning them After the consult is made for this is their Phrase in Spain these Petitions are sent back again to the Secretary of State and when he reports them to the King His Majesty orders what pleases him and this is called a Decree This Decree is expedited by persons proposed for that Office so that when these Requests are carried to the King they say the Memorial is mounted and when they are answered they say the Memorial falls down or else the Consult ascended and the Decree descended Without counting the Secretary of State whom I have been speaking of there are two more that enter the Council one of them dispatches the Affairs of Arragon of Italy and Sicily the other those of Castile and the North. One of these is named Don Manuel de Lira who was formerly Master of the Ceremonies and Envoy Extraordinary in Holland he was made at his return Secretary of State The other is called Don Pedro Colonna he is descended of a good Family and those of his House have always possest great places They may give their advice in writing in matters of consequence The King sends the Decrees to them and through their hands Affairs go to the Council of State They make a Report of them there and gather the voices and give an account of all to his Majesty who at last orders it as he thinks fit They have power to assemble the Council out of the appointed days when they judge it convenient and when the King has a mind that they should have any extraordinary meeting they send the Order immediately to all the Counsellors Every Secretary of State has a Chief Commissary who is called the Official Mayor and exercises his Masters Office when he happens to be absent The Secretary of State for Italy has eight Commissaries reckoning him that is the principal the King pays them And the Secretary of State for the North has seven under him They chuse them themselves and the King gives his consent These dispatch all Patents and generally those persons that get into these Employments advance their fortunes in the world The Council of War This began as soon as the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon were erected under King Pelagius in the year 720. It assembles on Mundays Wednesdays and Fridays As for what concerns the Government of it the King is always President of it and the Counsellers are men of the Sword They must be men of experience and service the number of them is not fixed and it depends upon the King's pleasure to augment or to diminish them Their places are not regulated in the Council but they sit as they they come It is indeed true that when the Counsellors of State are called thither they have the upper end but then they never come but at a time when a full Council of War is held They have two Secretaries who have each of them two Commissaries under them one of these is for the Sea-affairs and the others for those at Land When they debate about matters of justice an Assessor of the Council Royal makes a report of them who has likewise the priviledge to give his opinion before the Dean of the Council The King comes there almost most every day There are besides some other Chambers that depend upon this Council such as those of the Flota's the Gallies and the Garrisons The King nominates the Officers for these Chambers The Councils are the same with those of the Council of War and 't is the Chief Minister or the President of Castile that presides there Alcaldes of the Court. The word Alcalde signifies a Judge of any place This Tribunal is full as ancient as the Council Royal whoever is judged to be a criminal by it can make no appeals but is executed immediately For this reason it is named the Quinta Sala that is to say the fifth Hall Here they determine both Civil and Criminal Affairs but when these Councils were established in Castile the Judges thereof were reduced to four Alcaldes They have been augmented since and are nine at present two Reporters and four Registers Their Jurisdiction is divided into two parts one as I said before relates only to Criminal Matters the other is like that of ordinary Judges and is to direct the management of Civil Affairs The Supream Council of the Inquisition This Council was erected in the year 1483. by Don Ferdinand and Donna Isabella King and Queen of Castile to defend and preserve the Catholick Religion altho it is certain that this Tribunal of the Inquisition was established ever since the year 1478. The President of this Council is called the Inquisitor
capable of discharging it well nay he had some that ought to have excluded him Amongst the rest he was Son-in-Law to a Corrigidor named Don Francisco de Herrera who was mortally hated by the People and 't is said not without just Grounds since he contributed not a little to the extream Miseries under which they groaned The Council of Finances which is there called de Hazienda was established in the Year 1602. by Philip III. It is their business to inspect the Tribunal which is called the Contaduria Mayor and was set up by Philip the Second in 1574. A certain Accident happened at Court which I cannot forbear to relate although it is of little Consequence The Queen had two of the prettiest Parrots in the World which she had brought along with her from France and loved mightily The Dutchess de Terra Nova thought to do a meritorious work in killing them because they could only talk French One day when the Queen was gone out to take a Walk and the Dutchess to avoid going with her and to put this Design in Execution had pretended a slight Indisposition she demanded the Parrots of the Woman that looked after them and so without any more a-do as soon as ever she had got them into her Hands wrung off their Necks in spight of all the Prayers and Intreaties that were used to prevent her from killing them This was a great Affliction to the poor French Women that waited upon the Queen who when she came back to her Apartment commanded them to bring her Parrots and Dogs as her custom was always when the King was not there for he could not endure any of these little creatures because they came from France and whenever he saw them he cry'd Fuera fuera Perros Frances that is to say Out out you French Dogs All the Queen's Women instead of going to fetch what she demanded stared upon one another and continued for some time immoveable without daring to speak a word but at last after a long silence one of them gave her an account of the Execution which the Camarera had made of them She was extreamly concerned although she took care not to discover it but as soon as the Dutchess entred the Room and according to her custom came to kiss her Hand The Queen without speaking a Syllable to her gave her two Boxes on the Ear with her Hand Never was any thing in the World in such a Rage and Surprize as the Dutchess was for she was one of the most haughty imperious Women living and carried as much State and Grandeur She possessed as I mentioned before a Kingdom in Mexico and now to be buffeted by a young Queen whom she had hitherto treated like a Child this appeared insupportable she immediately flew out of the Room saying all the impertinent things that her Anger suggested to her and assembled together her Relations and Friends and above four hundred Ladies With this numerous Train of Coaches she came to the King's Apartment to demand Justice of him for the Affront she pretended she had received from the Queen She made so great a Clamour and shed so many Tears that he sent for the Queen to come to him And as he represented to her the high Rank which the Camarera Mayor held in the World the Queen interrupted him and told him without any hesitation Senor esto es une antojo These few unexpected Words clearly changed the Face of Affairs The King embraced her with a thousand Testimonies of Joy adding That she had done very well and that if Two Blows were not enough to satisfie her he consented she should give the Dutchess Two Dozen more Now antojo signifies in the Spanish Tongue the Longing of a Woman with Child And they are it seems convinced by long Experience That if Women with Child in that Country have not what they desire and don't do what they have a mind to do they are delivered before their time of a dead Infant The King who believed the Queen was with Child was ravished with Joy and though he had a mighty kindness for the Dutchess yet he exceedingly approved of the Queen's Action So that all the Satisfaction she received from him was this Cailla os est as bofetadas son bii as del antojo That is to say Hold your peaceâ— these Blâ—ws are the Fruits of a Woman with Child The Queen had so much Prudence and Address as not to take the least notice of the Death of her Parrots So that she left the King no Room to imagine that the antojo of boxing the Old Dutchess proceeded from her own Resentments The Marquess de Villa Menrique obtain'd the Vice-Royship of Peru which is one of the most considerable Posts by the means of a pretty Lady of whom the Duke de Medina Celi was extreamly enamoured The King the Queen and the Queen-Mother went together to Buen-Retiro to pass the Holy Week there After Easter was over the King expressed a great desire to go to Aranjuez as it had always been the custom But the Queen-Mother who had no Inclinations to be at any great distance from Madrid because all Affairs were managed there and the Counsellors never stir out of it and likewise because the Neighbourhood of Toledo where she had been formerly confined against her Will revived a sort of Horror in her raised so many Obstacles that the King alter'd his Mind So he stay'd but a very inconsiderable time at Buen-Retiro and passed four days at the Escurial He would only suffer himself to be accompanied by the Duke de Medina Celi the Master of the Horse one of the Gentlemen of his Bed-Chamber and the Major domo The next day after he was arrived the Queen wrote a very tender Letter to him and sent him a Diamond Ring He sent her by way of râ—turn a Chaplet made of the Wood of Calambour garnished with Diamonds in a little Box of Gold Filagreen wherein he inclosed a Billet that had only these Words Madam there has been a great Wind I have killed six Wolves As soon as he returned to Madrid the desire of going to Aranjuez seized him again By a custom that had been established ever since the time of Philip II. the Kings of Spain were used to go to this Noble House some time after Easter This is appointed in the Ceremonial of the Palace which is a Rule they always follow In it are to be found all the Ceremonies that are to be observed the Habits which the Kings and Queens are to wear the Time of their going to their Royal Houses how long they are to continue there the Days of going to Chappel as also those for Bull Feasts and running at the Ring the Hour of their Majesties going to Bed and Rising and a thousand other things of the same Nature But as it happen'd there was so great a scarcity of Money that the King was obliged to stay at Madrid However to excuse and colour so extraordinary
the quarrel between the two Rivals and succeeded in it however this Accident could not be kept so secret but that the King being informed of it forbid them the Court. The Duke de Sejar parted from hence to go and serve in Flanders in quality of a Volunteer He was a Person of Illustrious Birth very rich and very young the reason he did this was only because he was jealous of his Lady The Count de Talara had the Place of Judge of the Forrests conferred upon him which was vacant by the Death of the Marquess de la Garde and Don Francisco de Manserato obtained the Title of Marquess de Tamarit The King ordered the Council to discharge all the Receivers of the Impositions that are laid upon the Provinces These Officers were above a thousand and the suppressing of them must needs be of great advantage to his Catholick Majesty and to his Subjects A Vessel which came to Cales from the Honduras brought News that the Flota was happily arrived on the fifth of September and that the Merchants of Lima offered three hundred thousand Crowns to the King on condition that for an year and half he would not send the Gallions here In the mean time ill Weather hindred the Fleet which had set sail from Cales a little before from doubling the Cape of St. Vincent the bad effects of this Tempest were not only perceived at Sea for it was so violent in all parts of Castile that several Houses were beaten down and the exceeding Rains so swelled the Rivers that the Roads were o'reflown and almost all the Bridges carried away by the rapidity of the Waters This ill News was followed immediately by three Couriers one upon the neck of another and the first of them arrived on the 13 th of March from Abbot Masserati Envoy of Spain in Portugal He dispatched them to inform the Council that they had received Advice at Lisbon by a Vessel that the Governour of Buenosaires having got together abundance of Indians had joyned them to his Garrison that on the 15 th of August 1680. he had surprized the Fort which the Portugueses had began to build in the Isle of St. Gabriel that he had taken the Governour Prisoner and cut the Garrison in pieces that the Prince-Regent being provoked at this Insult had assembled the Council of State where the Queen of Portugal was present that they had reâ—olved to raise the Militia and send 400 Horse and four Regiments of Old Soldiers into Estramadura that it would be necessary to get Magazines ready on the Frontiers and to have a General Rendezvous at Eluas that having demanded Audience of the Prince-Regent he had refused it him and that in all probability a War would ensue 'T was expected at Court that the Envoy of Portugala would make his Complaints but they were extreamly surprized to see him take no noticâ— of it at all so now it was not doubted bu that this silence certainly presaged a surprize of the Spanish Territories like to that which the Governour of Buenosaires had committed in the Indies upon the Portugueses The Ministers judged it convenient to prevent this blow and spoke to the English Ambassador about it desiring him to represent to the Envoy of Portugal that the King of England would be obliged to take up Arms against him who first broke the Peace whereof he was Guarrantee that he had also a more particular Reason than this forasmuch as by the League that was concluded between the King his Master and his Catholick Majesty they had mutually engaged to Declare against the Enemy that fell upon either of them This Discourse was spoke with a great deal of heat but the Envoy of Portugal answered him That he looked upon him to be a Partisan of the Court of Spain rather than an Ambassador from the King of England that he knew very well he spoke without Order and of his own Head This Answer was followed by a Protestation in Writing wherein it was declared that the King of England could not upon any Reason whatever hinder the Prince of Portugal from using the Right of Reprisals and endeavouring to get Satisfaction from the Spaniards for the Injuries received A little after this the Envoy of Portugal received an Order from the Prince-Regent to demand Publick Audience upon this Occasion and told his Catholick Majesty that he demanded an entire Satisfaction from him and that the Prince-Regent desired that they would set the Souldiers and Governour at Liberty that they would punish those of Buenosaires that they would restore the Ammunition and Cannon that if the Fort were razed they would rebuild it or else surrender the place that in case the Prisoners were sent into Spain they would set them at Liberty that they would receive into the Fort of St. Gabriel the Garrison which the Prince of Portugal should send thither that the Governour of Buenosaires should be chastised and that an Answer be given in within Twenty Days or else they would begin Actions of Hostility Upon this the Council met and spent three days to deliberate about it They gave Orders for their Forces to march towards the most exposed defenceless places and Don Antonio Panyagua Master-General of the Camp was charged to stay there till he saw an end of this Affair Besides they set forth a great Memorial wherein were contained the Arguments which the Envoy of Spain had given in at Lisbon to make it appear by Authentick Papers that according to the Limits appointed by Pope Alexander VI. the Isle of St. Gabriel belongs to the Spaniards and that they have had it a hundred fourscore and six Years in their possession After this they took notice of the Declaration of the Envoy of Portugal and ended all with a Protestation signifying That they were desirous to preserve the Peace and that they would labour with all Application in this matter This Manifesto was sent to all the Foreign Ministers to communicate to their Masters but they had scarce given it to them when they sent in all hast back again for the Copies to Correct something or other and then they returned them again At the same time a Rumour was industriously dispersed that the Nuncio by an express Order from the Pope had moved them to send an Ambassador to Lisbon to treat about an Accomodation But this was really a Temperament they had found out to conceal the true motives which engaged them to make this Advance The Nuncio upon this said openly that he had never interposed in the business and that it was impossible to receive any Orders from Rome about so fresh an Affair The Duke de Giovenazzo was chosen for this Embassy As soon as he was arrived at Lisbon he saw the Prince-Regent who nominated the Duke de Cadaval and the Marquess de Fronteyra for Commissioners He would have made his Complaints at first and demanded Satisfaction But he was told that they were of a Humour clearly opposite to
what he pretended and that matters were to be done conformable to the Memorial which the Envoy of Portugal had presented at Madrid or else let the Affair go whither it would for them After some slight contestations he gave his consent to it and dispatched a Courier to Madrid to inform the Court of what he had done Immediately the Ministers bellowed out against him as a Man of no Judgment who had violated his Fidelity to the King pretending that he had infringed all the Rules of Prudence and good Sense by a Conduct and an Accommodation so disadvantageous to Spain and that his Instructions furnished him with no such Power All these Circumstances of Indignation and Resentment were only offered to the Honour of the Nation But notwithstanding all this they did not lose a moment to conclude the Accommodation and the Ratification of it was speedily sent to the Duke de Giovenazzo Money still continued to be as scarce as ever at Madrid and certain it is that it was the greatest difficulty in the World for the Council to provide a hundred and fifty thousand Crowns for the King to go to Aranjuez The Ceremonial of the Palace whereof I have already made mention orders this Summ precisely to be spent in that small Journey and here they are so exact to follow it that they would not for all the World lay out a hundred Pistoles less But after the Money was once in the King's Coffers the Council thought to send it to the Forces that were kept on the Borders of Portugal by reason of the late difference about the Isle of St. Gabriel The Duke de Medina Celi spoke to the King about it and proposed that in this juncture they might take Money where ever they could find it but he roundly answered him Do what you will provided you don 't meddle with that which is designed for Aranjuez He was not able to go thither all the Autumn because such a Summ of Mony as is necessary for that purpose could not be then gotten ready He began his Journey about the beginning of April 1681. being not willing to break any of the Customs that are established in the Ceremonial of the Palace Philip II. observed it religiously and after him the Kings of Spain have look'd upon it as Sacred as a Law Every thing is there set down the Processions the Chases the Solemn days of Chappel the changing of their Apartments their Habits their Walks their Journeys the Presents the Kings make their Mistresses and what is to become of them when they cease to love them any longer In a word there is to be found every thing from the most essential circumstance of State down to the most insignificant Trifles The King tarried five Weeks at Aranjuez This Royal House is within seven Leagues of Madrid He goes no where all the year round but there and to the Escurial in October These are his two great Journeys I went thither along with a Relation of mine to take leave of the Queen and receive her Orders She had the goodness to promise me her Protection for a young Girl whom I was to leave behind me in Spain and was very dear to me She told me she would take her into the Number of her Menines and that I might assure my self she carried her own Recommendation along with her since she came from France She honoured me with her Picture in Enamel incircled with Diamonds and I sensibly regret the loss of it to this very day This is not a fit place to tell how this Misfortune hapned to me perhaps I may still write the Memoirs of another Court where I resided some time and which are no less particular than these and there I shall have a fit opportunity to speak concerning the Portraiture of this lovely Queen FINIS a Since the time of Don Loys de Haro the Kings of Spain have had no Privado or chief Minister The Duke di Medina de las Torres had the management of the Northern affairs and the Count de Castrillo of the rest b The six Ministers that composed the Junta were those that were or should be Archbishop of Toledo the President of Castile Vice-Cancellor of Arragon and Inquisitor General And besides these a Grandee of Spain and a Counsellor of State c The Cardinal of Arragon being Grand Inquisitor and afterwards named to the Archbishoprick of Toledo quitted the post of grand Inquisitor because he could not not have two places in the Junto d Altho 't is very true that he had been formerly a Lutheran and it was objected to him yet he vehemently denied it because it might have made him uncapable of that Office e He held as his proper right the Government of the Low Countries * Who is called in Spain Secretary del Defpacho Universal * These two Lords were not of the Junta of the Government (a) Don Enrique II. (b) Don Petro el cruel Matado por Don Enrique Suâ—rmâ—no natural a Henry the Bastard King of Gastile b Pedro the Cruel King of Castile turned out of his Kingdom by Henry the Bastard in 1366 and 1367. (a) Who is a kind of a Provost or Judge (b) These are Serjeants and Bayliffs * The Contration is a Council where they order all Affairs relating to the Indice We will see * These are much of the same value with the French Doubles and are scarce an English Farthing * A Monastery founded by Joanna Sister to Philip IV. * A Ground
Iuan of Austria to return out of an expectation that he was the fittest person to remove this universal grievance this new Creature Valenzuelae This Cabal of Malecontents increased so mightily that there was almost nothing to be seen but Pasquils Lampoons and Satyrs both in prose and verse against the Queen and against him Nay they had the boldness to give out that he hindered her Majesty from recompencing the services of several persons who otherwise might have expected considerable employments In short their insolence proceeded so far that one night very near the Palace they hung up the portraiture of the Queen with Valenzuela He had at his feet all the marks that represented his several places a Sword for Constable an Anchor for Admiral a Golden Key for Gentleman of the Bed Chamber a Collar of the Fleece for Knight of that Order and so of the rest He pointed at all these things with his hand and below was written Este se Vende that is to say all this is sold. And the Queen leaning her hand upon his heart with this inscription Yeste se da that is to say and this is given The report ran very strong that he sold all Office and Dignities at high rates at which some persons of the highest quality were extremely offended and his avarice drew upon him abundance of Enemies But what is still the most remarkable is this that all these various reports made not the least impression on the Queen She said That her rank placed her above these little contumelies and that she should be angry with her self if she were capable of being disquieted at such miserable reproaches that were so infinitely below her indignation that the most effectual way to punish and extinguish these licentious abuses was to take no notice of them that the reason why they were so inveterate against the Marquess de Valenzuela proceeded only from their envy that she was resolved not to abandon and sacrifice one of the best Subjects that the King her Son had to gratifie the insatiable humour of some Malecontents that were never to be satisfied So that now it was apparent that all the methods they took to destroy this Favourite served only to confirm him so much the deeper in the affections and good graces of the Queen Nevertheless he used all possible means to procure the good will of the people he took care that Madrid should be always plentifully supplied with provisions necessary for life and that all sorts of commodities should be sold at cheap easy rates He often entertained the City with Bull Feasts where he generally made his appearance in a black habit embroidered over with silver and wore black and white Plumes as being in second mourning because the Queen was a Widdow But as soon as ever he entred the Lists and according to the custom of those that design to combat the Bulls came under the Queen's Balcony making her a profound reverence and demanding permission de Taurear as they call it there she sent a Messenger to forbid him to expose himself 'T was observable in one of these courses that he wore a Scarf of black Taffata embroidered o're with Gold with the device of an Eagle gazing stedfastly upon the Sun and for the Motto these words Tengo solo Licentia that is to say it is only permitted to me Some days after he appeared at the running at the ring having an Eagle painted upon his Buckler for they always wear them at this sort of Course which is an ancient diversion of the Moors armed with Iupiter's thunder bearing the same Motto It is only permitted to me There being no hazard to run in this sport the Queen was willing that Valenzuela should show his dexterity which he did and carried away the prize from a great number of young Lords that disputed it with him and received from the Queen's hand a Sword beset with Diamonds They talked hotly at Court of the two devices of the Favourite and every one was ready to explain them according to his own fancy and inclination He caused some Comedies of his composing to be publickly represented on the Theatre and all the Town had the liberty of seeing them for nothing This was the most taking way in the world to gain the hearts of the Spaniards for they are such passionate admirers of all publick shows that they will lay up the mony which ought to be spent in maintaining their poor Families to purchase a dear seat at a Bull-feast Valenzuela was not satisfied to cultivate the affections of the people by these magnificences but sought other ways to win their hearts He set several noble buildings on foot rebuilt the great Square the better part of which had been consumed by fire and particularly the House where their Majesties went to behold the Courses at the Bull-feasts and running at the ring He caused a bridge to be built at the gate near Toledo over the Mancanares that cost a million of Ducats and another bridge over the same river at Pardo which is a house of pleasure belonging to the King The Frontispiece and place before the Palace was finished by his order as also the Tower of the Queen's Apartment was raised much higher He employed all his thoughts in contributing to the diversion of the Queen and the King her Son this young Prince now began to go to all the meetings of Sport and Pleasure that were kept at Aranjues the Escurial and the other Royal Houses One day when the Marquess de Valenzuela had received Orders of the King to prepare a Chase for him and the Court was then at the Escurial the King designing to shoot a Stag shot his Favourite and wounded him on the Thigh the Queen being terribly affrighted broke out into great Lamentations and fainted away between the arms of her Ladies This accident occasioned some people to predict the approaching ruine of Valenzuela whereof this odd adventure seemed to be a presage The time being now come to order the King's Houshold the Marquess made choice of all the Oâ—ficers He made the Duke d' Albuquerque Mayor-Dome Mayor the Admiral of Castile Cavallerizo Mayor and the Duke de Medina-celi Sumiller de Corps this Officer is the same in effect with High Chamberlain and puts on the Kings shirt The name is originally French and comes from the Dukes of Burgundy from whom the House of Austria is descended After the same manner he disposed of the other places Now as there were abundantly more pretenders than places to fill he drew upon him by this means a considerable number of Enemies who could not digest the affront of having nothing given them and were less inclined to pardon him for that which directly concerned themselves than for what related to the Interest of State At this time they thought more earnestly than ever of Don Iuan hoping that he would come to revenge their quarrel upon Valenzuela and besides they laboured underhand to convince the King how
necessary it was for the better management of affairs to have the Prince about him The Queen being informed of what was designed against her passed many sorrowful days and more melancholy nights altho she had almost continual conferences with the Marquess but she could never represent to her mind the killing thought that they would treat the Marquess after the same cruel manner as they had used Father Nitard but she fell a weeping and discovered all the signs of a real concern She knew very well that the Grandees frequently assembled together and that they spoke of the Government with all the freedom imaginable that the Libels and Pasquils that were insolently scattered abroad all tended to defame her administration were publickly owned and acknowledged by the Authors themselves and that she was obliged to seem as if she knew nothing of those matters because she was not in a capacity to punish them Valenzuela for his part was not without his uneasy moments the elevation of his fortune only served to make him sensible of the terrible precipice he was falling down from which he did not perceive any visible means to secure himself In the mean time Don Iuan who continued still at Saragossa was discontented at his banishment how honourable-soever it appeared it is sufficient that it was not voluntary and that was enough to make him disrelish it The Queen and he had still the same mutual aversion to one another as formerly and notwithstanding the fair appearances of his outward behaviour he laboured under hand with his friends to get himself declared Infant de Castile At least people report it of him 't is indeed very true that he was never able to accomplish that design but they pretend that he was not absolutely without hopes to effect it However it was he made so great a Faction by the means of some considerable persons about the King who were for promoting his return that his friends sent him word that the King desired it that every thing was disposed and ready to receive him and that the credit of the Queen would never be able to stand in competition against his This good news obliged him to quit Arragâ—n and make all the haste he could to arrive at Buenretiro 1677. To bring about this affair with more facility they gave the King to understand That he was not only under the Tutorage of the Queen his Mother but under that of Valenzuela They afterwards represented to him the constraint he lived under in such lively colours that he protested he would free himself immediately from this servitude And altho the Queen had always her eye upon him for fear he should be seduced by any ill Counsels and take contrary measures to what she prescribed him yet he found the opportunity one night to steal out of the Palace with only one Gentleman of his Bed-chamber who lay in his room and so muffled up in his Cloak he walk'd on foot to Retirâ— which was far enough off From thence he dispatched an Order immediately to the Queen not to stir out of the Palace It is easy to imagine what entertainment such mortifying news found with her and what effects this sudden reverse of fortune caused in a Princess who had been accustomed to govern She employed the remainder of the night in writing to the King conjuring him in the most tender terms to give her leave to visit him but he still refused it While the King tarried at Retiro the people being informed of his intentions flockt in multitudes to salute and acknowledge him All the Lords of the Court made him very considerable presents so that some persons valued them at a hundred thousand Crowns either in Mony Plate Tapistry or Diamonds There was an universal joy at Madrid upon this occasion and that for these two reasons which equally caused it The first is the exceeding affection the Spaniards have for their Prince the second because the Queen was so ill beloved and besides the people could never forget some words that dropt from her once viz. That she should never be at rest till she had brought them all to be cloathed with Esterac This is a sort of a course Matt made of Rushes that serves them for Mattresses and their bedding The next night after the King's retreat they made Illuminations in all the streets As soon as Don Iuan arrived he obliged the King to remove the Queen from thence so she was sent to Toledo with positive orders not to stir out of that City The unfortunate Valenzuela took his leave of her with all the Testimonies of grief and duty that so short a time would allow him and retired to the Escurial according to order Thus there being a new face of affairs every body made his Court and Application to Don Iuan and the King by his extraordinary caresses sufficiently testifyed how joyful he was to see him again He commanded him to take care of all his affairs and indeed Don Iuan rendred himself so absolute a Master that his authority became much greater than that of the Queen and her two chief Ministers Don Iuan earnestly desired to have Valenzuela's person in his power but could not tell whither he was gone At last being informed that he was to be found at the Escurial he showed a great deal of joy at the news This is one of the King's Houses and is of so prodigious an extent that if we take in the Buildings the Park and a Convent of Religious Ieronomites which is contained within the Precincts of it 't is thought it is several Leagues in compass and is all inclosed with Walls The King commanded Don Antonio de Toledo Son to the Duke of Alva to go thither in person and arrest Valenzuela he departed immediately with the Duke De Medina Sidonia and the Marquess de Valpa rayso Don Fernand de Toledo several persons of great quality and two hundred Horse The Marquess was then walking in an adjoyning Forrest full of heaviness and melancholy but hearing on a sudden a great noise about him and being informed at the same time of what had happened by a certain Messenger whom some of his Friends had sent in all speed to acquaint him with the news he returned hastily to the Escurial and finding out the Prior of the Convent of the Ieronomites who was a very honest man and particularly concerned at the misfortunes of this Favourite he told him in a few words what danger he was in and what reasons he had to apprehend the loss of his life in case he was taken praying and conjuring him with all imaginable earnestness to conceal him in some place of safety The Prior immediately ordered a hole to be contrived in a Cell belonging to one of the Religious of whose Confidence he was well assured This Cell it seems was all over wainscoted so that taking down one of the Pannels of the Wainscot and making a cavity in the wall which was of a considerable thickness